Transcending Transcending BORDERS D.O

THE GLOBE

PORTFOLIO SPANS SPANS PORTFOLIO DELICATO’S LUXURY LUXURY DELICATO’S

TRANSCENDENT WINES TRANSCENDENT WINES PHOTO: JEREMY BALL

Transcending Transcending BORDERS D.O. Valdepeñas

D.O. La Mancha

D.O. Rías Baixas

The best from The perfect D.O. Toro each region choice The Pagos del Rey project Felix Solis is a family owned started in 2002 with the aim of winery devoted to the production making quality wines in the most of quality wines. Together with prestigious wine making regions the Pagos del Rey project, the in Spain. Wines with their own company has two wineries in the personality. most important appellations in the center of Spain; Valdepeñas and La Mancha. D.O.C. Rioja

FRANCE Rías Baixas Rioja New blends Toro Spanish blends like Mucho Más Ribera del Duero and FYI are a growing trend MADRID Rueda internationally. These wines D.O. Ribera La Mancha del Duero are made with different grapes SPAIN of distinct vines and carefully

PORTUGAL selected from top Spanish Valdepeñas regions. They offer a surprising modern profile and unique identity, in which the art of making wine is represented.

Head office in Spain US Office Félix Solís Avantis S.A Félix Solís Avantis USA Autovía del Sur, km. 199 - 13300 Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real) Spain 477 Devlin Road, Suite 102 - Napa, CA 94558 Tel: +34 926 322 400 Tel. (707) 603 1270 www.felixsolisavantis.com [email protected] MARCH/APRIL 2021 Vol. 8 No. 2 THE SOMM JOURNAL

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VP/SALES & MARKETING Meridith May Bill Brandel, CSW 818-322-5050 [email protected] [email protected]

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{ SOMMjournal.com } 3 first press

Brandy Branches Out

Germain-Robin is made in small batches in manually operated Prulho pot stills.

Fat Thumb, Speculator, and The Claim premium brandies from California-based Argonaut, a new label from E. & J. Gallo.

4 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 PHOTOS COURTESY OF E. & J. GALLO WINERY GALLO OF E. & J. COURTESY PHOTOS

California Brandy House, the first standalone tasting room dedicated to luxury California brandies, opened last fall in downtown Napa, CA, at 1300 First Street, Suite 309.

Even during these ever-changing and challenging times, California brandies have retained a relatively steadfast position in the spirits marketplace. But the category is poised to undergo a dramatic revitalization and expansion thanks to the efforts of one of California’s winery giants—E. & J. Gallo. Founded in Modesto by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in 1933—the same year WITH ITS TWO Prohibition was repealed—E. & J. Gallo remains a family-owned company to this day, producing award-winning wines and spirits that encompass more than 100 different CALIFORNIA BRANDS, brands sold in over 100 countries. E. & J. Gallo made the savvy move to enter the domestic brandy market with its eponymous brand way back in 1975. But now, with the growth of the once-again E. & J. GALLO fashionable category, it’s extending its reach dramatically—from its 2017 acquisition of LAUNCHES A NEW Germain-Robin, California’s pioneering luxury brandy, to the recent launch of in-house premium entry Argonaut. (It has also ventured into the apéritif sector with Lo-Fi AGE FOR THE LONG- vermouth and amaro.) These distinctive product extensions mark an exciting new chapter in E. & J. Gallo’s BELOVED CATEGORY lengthy success story. To see how they appeal to modern consumers, we spoke with Britt West, vice president and general manager, spirits, for E. & J. Gallo; David Warter, lead BY RICHARD blender and distiller for Germain-Robin; and Rita Hansen, lead distiller for Argonaut. CARLETON California is famous for its wines, but how does California brandy fit into HACKER the overall picture as far as the consumer sees it? Britt West: There’s no argument that there was a lot to prove when we started reinvesting in premium California brandy. As spirit drinkers branch out and look for new things to enjoy, either in cocktails or for sipping, we’re seeing a growing interest in brandy. We are excited to offer wine drinkers something new to explore and to learn about [when it comes to] the multiple flavor profiles found in brandies distilled from flavorful California grapes.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 5 What were the reasons behind During the gold rush, a miner would open to California brandy’s popularity in the E. & J. Gallo’s expansion into his purse, offering barkeeps and merchants mid-1800s, crafted to ensure that all of the brandy, and how has the category to take a pinch of gold dust as payment. complexity and depth of brandy shows evolved into today’s upscale Germain- Those with fat thumbs would receive a through even in cocktails. Robin and Argonaut brands? more generous reimbursement. Similarly, BW: We have seized an opportunity for when I blend Argonaut Fat Thumb, I have What about Germain-Robin’s innovation. Unlike the constraints you have the luxury of drawing from our alembic California Alembic Brandy and with Cognac, American distillers have more brandy stocks. This blend has a higher Select XO Barrel—why would a mixolo- freedom in brandy making, particularly in percentage—or “fatter pinch” [in refer- gist select one over the other? choosing the grape varieties to create origi- ence to the story behind the name]—of DW: Germain-Robin brandies are crafted nal and distinctive styles and taste profiles. alembic brandy, resulting in [an expres- to be sipped [as though] straight from the We are one of the few countries that can sion] that showcases the rich character of grape source, [reflecting its journey from] use white and red grapes, which provide an those [stocks]. Saloon Strength is a nod the hand-distillation all the way through enormous and unique range of flavors that are found nowhere else in the world.

David Warter: California is home to world-class vineyards and winemaking, so what better place to make brandy than in California? Traditionally, brandy is made from grape varieties that have relatively low flavor, like Ugni Blanc. Argonaut and Germain- Robin are distilled from more flavorful California grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, Barbera, French Colombard, Riesling, Viognier, and Sémillon sourced from top-notch California vineyards. Our distillation methods are also unique. Germain-Robin is made in extremely small batches using manually operated Prulho pot stills. Hubert Germain-Robin, being a fifth-generation distiller, personally taught our distillation team his secrets, which result in an incredibly rich distillate. Argonaut . . . is a blend of alembic and column distil- lations[, which] allows our team to blend the fruit-forward column style with the rich alembic mouthfeel to create expressions unlike any other. For Germain-Robin, we utilize medium- plus-toasted wide-grain French oak barrels, using both new and older barrels to develop mouthfeel and dried fruit and nutty characters. For Argonaut, we age in ex- bourbon and wine barrels that allow us to introduce a wide range of oak notes. Once we decide on a final blend, the brandy is put back into older barrels to marry for around 12 more months before bottling.

Where did the colorful Argonaut brandy names come from? Rita Hansen: [People taking part in the] California gold rush[, who were nicknamed “the Argonauts,”] searched for adventure and opportunity. We tapped into that spirit to explore what California brandy can be.

6 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Tasting Notes Argonaut Saloon Strength, California ($38) A 91-proof blend tailor-made for cocktails, with notes of spiced apple, pekoe tea, and cider that converge on the nose. The liquid warms the palate with a glassy entry that’s piqued by white-peppered papaya and apricot preserves. The orange-peel finish incorporates some cinnamon for an Irish whiskey–like flavor. 93 —Meridith May

Argonaut Fat Thumb, California ($50) A reinvention of American- style brandy, this rich and delicious 86 proofer is a crowd-pleasing sipper with dreamy aromas of cream soda and maple-kissed peach. Germain-Robin products on display inside California Brandy House. There’s an echo of a fine Cognac style, with flavors of dark chocolate, dates, charred orange skin, and apple tart. 95 —M.M. [to] the aging process—seven years for GR and 12 years for XO. [Both] can be [enjoyed] in a cocktail, but with the extra oak age on XO, I appreciate that most on its own. Germain-Robin California Alem- bic Brandy, California ($75) Aged Both Coffey stills and alembic pot stills are used for the seven years in French Limousin bar- new Argonaut brandies. Why? rels. Sandalwood and fig grace the RH: Argonaut blends many different California grape varieties nose, while pekoe tea and maple that are distilled on both continuous and pot stills. Additionally, syrup–laden peaches caress the the final product is made by blending [distillates] of varying ages palate. Midway, sumptuous flavors to craft each unique expression. Each distillation type brings its of coffee and chocolate are joined own character and strength to a blend. Continuous distillation by soothing notes of cherries and highlights very specific attributes, like pear, cherry, or apricot; the dates. Stark white pepper and nut- results can be blended with the rich, complex distillate from the meg prickle the tongue on the finish. alembic still, building a blend that embraces the fruit-forward 80 proof. 96 —M.M. California brandy style.

What about off-and-on premise marketing—how will Germain-Robin Select XO Barrel consumers and mixologists become aware of these Alembic Brandy, California ($125) new brandies? Deep aromas of caramel coffee BW: The base ingredient, grapes, gives bartenders wonderful fruit resonate as notes of cigar leaf and and floral notes plus complex flavors for improvisation. For example, walnut with a hint of earthy moss Argonaut Brandy lends itself to bitter cocktails, stirred cocktails, emerge on the palate. Mineral- sours, or even tropical cocktails that might traditionally employ rum ity binds the flavors with a dash as their base spirit. Plus, our California Brandy House in Napa is the of black pepper. The long finish first standalone consumer-oriented tasting room dedicated solely to expresses black cherry, cedar, and luxury California brandies. We’ve led educational seminars about the cherry pith. 80 proof. 98 —M.M. history of California brandy and the brandy cocktail at bar and beverage events. In addition, we have assembled a team of brand ambas- Argonaut Speculator, California sadors and advocates in California, many of whom are bartenders ($38) Gallo has once again struck themselves, that partner with the trade for brandy education and gold with Speculator, a cocktail-worthy blend of cocktail development. And we also partnered with cocktail historian quality brandies that aged for three to 16 years. David Wondrich to develop a “cocktail tree” (see facing page) tracing The result is a motherlode of thick dandelions, the role brandy played in cocktails before whiskey was the spirit of lemongrass, and balsa wood, with a slightly spicy choice. In fact, brandy has played a leading role in classic cocktails finish and just the faintest whiff of smoke. 86 proof. dating back to the 1800s. . . . As David Warter says, “Just get them to 94 —Richard Carleton Hacker taste it!”

{ SOMMjournal.com } 7 { letter from the managing editor } Life Goal: Be Like Steven

WITH THIS ISSUE, we bid a fond farewell to our longtime London correspondent, Steven Spurrier. While you can read his final column on page 64, I highly recommend that you also pick up a copy of his just-rereleased memoir, Steven Spurrier: A Life in Wine (Académie du Vin Library, academieduvinlibrary. com). After one long year of sheltering in place, there may be no more thrill- PHOTO: JENNIFER OLSON JENNIFER OLSON PHOTO: ing read for the frustrated bon vivant or stymied globetrotter in you. To say that his autobiography is the stuff of cinema is no stretch, given that his most famous feat—organizing the legendary Judgment of Paris competition that put California on the wine-world map—was actually turned into a 2008 feature film, Bottle Shock, in which he’s portrayed by no less a thespian than Alan Rickman. Literary comparisons likewise abound in the multiple tributes from illustrious industry figures that serve as prefaces to the book: Candide, Dorian Gray, and P.G. Wodehouse’s Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge, to name a few. But it’s possible that no author yet has conceived of a character quite like Spurrier, a walking—and merrily self-ac- knowledged—contradiction of naivete and hedonism, whimsy and erudition, farsightedness at all the right moments and, well, blind Here’s to you, spots at all the wrong ones. Though a jack of all wine trades Mr. Spurrier; as and a master of most, Spurrier has been nothing so much as a the rest of us carry gambler throughout his career—and while some of his bets paid off splen- didly, others brought him to near-ruin. Yet in lean times as in flush, he has onward and, we lived as well as anyone possibly could. Houseboat-on-the-Seine well. Avid- art-and-antiques-collector well. Champagne-on-the-supersonic-Concorde can only hope, up- well. Wine-fridge-in-the-Triumph-convertible well. If you’re not increasingly jealous with the turn of every page, you’re . . . lying. Yet whether picking up a ward through the hitchhiker carrying live chickens in Greece; lunching on pâté de foie gras, cold grouse, and 1945 Pomerol with a friend in prison; or dutifully taking part in, fog of 2021, may shall we say, extralegal bottling practices as a young trainee in Bordeaux, the natural raconteur has you rooting for him every step of the way. His good our inner Steven cheer, remarkable generosity, surprising humility, and capacity for equanimity simply compel it. light the way. These are, of course, qualities we could all use a little more of in times of trouble. (We could also all use his wine cellar, but that’s beside the point.) So here’s to you, Mr. Spurrier; as the rest of us carry onward and, we can only hope, upward through the fog of 2021, may our inner Steven light the way.

8 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 We don’t need to create the illusion of quality; we let our wines speak for themselves. Discover a different expression of Napa Valley luxury; open a bottle of SEQUOIA GROVE and escape to our secluded winery on the Rutherford Bench.

sgv_ad_Somm_Journal_0221_r1.indd 1 2/18/21 1:43 PM MARCH/APRIL 2021 THE SOMM JOURNAL Vol. 8 No. 2 COVER STORY FEATURES GEOGRAPHICAL TRANSCENDING WHERE BORDEAUX DIGEST BORDERS MEETS THE RHÔNE 44 28 TOP-TIER WINES Delicato’s Luxury Transcendent Penfolds Brings the Best of the FROM THE BOTTOM Wines Portfolio Spans the Globe Old World Together in the New 52 OF THE WORLD Recapping Our “Southern PLAYING THE HAND Hemisphere” Webinar in PHOTO COURTESY OF MENTZENDORFF & CO LTD FIRST PRESS 70 THEY’RE DEALT Association with SommCon and Independent Retailers in National Geographic BRANDY BRANCHES OUT California’s Bay Area Prove 4 With Its Two California That Resilience Isn’t Optional Brands, E. & J. Gallo Launches a New Age for the Category

Wintertime in the Burgundian village 64 of Beaune.

10 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 MARCH/APRIL 2021 Vol. 8 No. 2 PHOTO: RAFAEL PETERSON RAFAEL PHOTO:

36 Nemanja Pejcˇic is wine director at Il Palio Restaurant Group in San Diego, CA.

DEPARTMENTS

8 Letter from the 30 Notes from the Winemaker: 62 Somm Spotlight: Managing Editor Pyrazines Sandra Taylor 12 One Woman’s View 32 Good Somm/Bad Somm 64 The Wine Observer 14 Bottom Line 36 Restaurants: Il Palio 66 The SOMM Joury: Restaurant Group Patel Winery 16 Wine with Wanda 38 Sparkle Motion 67 Beer’d Science 18 Elevating the Rockies 41 Central Coast: 68 Burgundy: Domaine Ferret 20 Wes’ Side Bien Nacido Estate 69 Brand Spotlight: 22 Scents and Accountability 42 Italy: Prosecco DOC Rosé Mucho Más 24 Five Minutes With . . . 50 SommFoundation Letter 78 Closing Time Courtney Bunn 60 Pairing Up 26 Business of Wine

{ SOMMjournal.com } 11 { one woman’s view } Flavor First AN INTERVIEW WITH COLUMNIST KAREN MACNEIL ON HER NEW STEMWARE by Meridith May

THE USUAL AUTHOR of this column, Karen MacNeil, recently came out with a new line of wine glasses called Flavor First. Why? I decided to ask her myself.

PHOTO: WONG SUSAN PHOTO: Meridith May: Does the world really need an- Q: other line of wine glassware? Karen MacNeil: The world doesn’t need another wine glass that costs $30–$70 a stem. And it doesn’t need a special glass just for Armenian Areni. But a line of practical, flavor-focused, affordable, and beautifully designed German crystal wine glasses for food service is long overdue.

What do you mean by “flavor-focused”? Q: To date, stemware has been named after either a wine region (the Bordeaux glass; the Burgundy glass) or a varietal (the Chardonnay glass; the Zinfandel glass) and so on. One day, I found myself wondering why wine glasses couldn’t just be based directly on flavor. And so began a couple of years of experimentation.

Experimentation? Q: People have gotten glass-weary. There are now so many differently shaped glasses for so many varieties that some people have resorted to single “all-purpose” wine glasses. But one glass isn’t really good for all wines, just as 27 different varietal shapes are way too many. I experimented to try to figure out the fewest number of glasses you’d need to cover 95% of the wines you’d ever drink. My answer was three basic glasses: one “A line of practical, for crisp and fresh wines, one for creamy and silky wines, and one for bold and powerful flavor-focused, wines. [In fact,] that’s how the three glasses are named: Fresh & Crisp, Creamy & Silky, and Bold & Powerful. And for super-casual restaurants, we also made a glass we call the affordable, Petite Stem, which has no stem—but it does have a foot so you can swirl the wine. And and beautifully no separate line of white wine glasses! designed German What’s wrong with white wine glasses? Q: They’re very impractical in food service because they usually require a separate crystal wine dishwashing rack. Plus smaller white wine glasses make no sense. White wines can be as complex as reds, and they also need oxygen to open them up. The Flavor First glasses glasses for food are all the same height. service is long What else makes them distinctive? overdue.” Q: Besides the focus on flavor and their affordability, the Flavor First glasses all have a slightly larger foot so that they are well balanced when you swirl the wine. Most wine glasses are designed by designers who think about the glass when it’s empty. I thought about the glass when it’s full.

For more information and pricing, contact Frank Biller at [email protected].

12 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 DATE: 2/12/21 TRIM SIZE: 8.375"w x 10.875"h BLEED SIZE: 8.625”w x 11.125”h DO NOT PRINT SLUG

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Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2021 Ruffino Import Company, Rutherford, CA { bottom line } by Randy Caparoso Turley Wine Cellars winemaker Tegan Passalacqua (right) oversees a Zinfandel harvest at estate vineyard Steacy Ranch in Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA. PHOTO: RANDY CAPAROSO

Back with a Zingeance AMERICA’S GRAPE HAS EARNED ITS RETURN TO WINE LISTS

OF ALL THE MAJOR wine varietals, Zinfandel to add color, tannin, blacker fruit, employs a little new oak (20–25%) in its Zinfandel is probably the one for which and spice notes, but it has as little to do cooperage program, but at least its Zinfan- today’s sommeliers have the least enthu- with the pure taste of Zinfandel as oak dels now taste like, well, Zinfandel rather siasm. Sure, it has historic connotations does. Petite Sirah is an embellishment, than something pumped up by the vinous as “America’s grape” (even though, as we nothing more, but somewhere along the equivalents of steroids. Meanwhile, numer- now know, it originated in Croatia) be- line it became an expected component, ous other craft brands are now picking cause, in the 1800s, Californians found that along with jammy fruit and chunky wood. grapes earlier to allow for native yeast it was the easiest to grow in the state’s Much Zinfandel is still made this way— fermentation (as Turley and Ridge have Mediterranean climate and produced but the good news is that more and always done) and to retain more natural, the most consistent wine; that counts for more of it isn’t. Just over ten years ago, acid-driven edginess as well as aging strictly grateful pours something. But somewhere between the for instance, Turley Wine Cellars—once in neutral wood. Progress. 1970s and the 1980s, the varietal be- the poster child for huge, jammy Zinfan- Napa and Sonoma Zinfandels still show came a caricature of itself, as big, jammy dels—began taking more control over sturdy tannins, and they can be quite big The most important toast of 2021 is styles made from ultra-ripe grapes gained its vineyard sources to obtain fruit with and ripe—but these qualities are often to the restaurants. The resilience, creativity popularity among consumers. If winemak- better sugar and acid levels. As a result, its dictated by their hillside or clay soil origins, and stamina of our friends in the on-premise ers couldn’t get their alcohol lower than vineyard-designate wines became fresher, not by the machinations of the winemaker. world over the last year has been nothing 17%, no problem: They simply added water, more floral—pure Zinfandel is more flow- You can now buy single-vineyard bottlings short of remarkable. Cheers to you. adjusted acidity, and tacked on a ton of ery than jammy—and better delineated in from Lodi or Contra Costa County that oak flavor—preferably American oak that terms of site-specific characteristics. are soft yet zesty, red-fruited, and earthy, added sweet vanillin, charred, dilly, and/or In fact, Zinfandels need no longer be reflecting the sandy soils they’re grown in. JORDANWINERY.COM furniture polish–like qualities. fat, sweetly fruited, or oaky: They’re now Paso Robles Zinfandels tend to be very @JORDANWINERY Their formula for “America’s wine” might as terroir-distinctive, balanced, and food- ripe but minerally, with surprising acid- also contain Petite Sirah. It has been a com- versatile as any American Pinot Noir, and ity—characteristics born of their terroir. mon practice to blend anywhere from 10% they’re more so than most Cabernet Crafted in these serious styles, the grape is to over 20% of the grape into commercial Sauvignons. Turley, like Ridge Vineyards, still worth any sommelier’s attention. PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. ©2020 JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY, HEALDSBURG, CA & WINERY, VINEYARD ©2020 JORDAN PLEASE RESPONSIBLY. ENJOY 14 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 grateful pours

The most important toast of 2021 is to the restaurants. The resilience, creativity and stamina of our friends in the on-premise world over the last year has been nothing short of remarkable. Cheers to you.

JORDANWINERY.COM @JORDANWINERY PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. ©2020 JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY, HEALDSBURG, CA & WINERY, VINEYARD ©2020 JORDAN PLEASE RESPONSIBLY. ENJOY wine with wanda { } by Wanda Mann New York Tough, Italian Style DEFEAT IS NOT ON THE MENU AT IL GATTOPARDO

IL GATTOPARDO IN MIDTOWN Manhattan was a welcome stop on the New York Governor whirlwind of wine tastings that filled my Andrew Cuomo with calendar before the pandemic. Greeted Gianfranco Sorrentino. with a kiss on each cheek and a hearty “Ciao, Wanda,” I felt transported to Italy the moment I walked through the restaurant’s doors. The host venue of events ranging from trade tastings with prominent producers to intimate dinners where bottles BOLLA-SORRENTINO OF PAULA COURTESY PHOTOS of Brunello and Barolo flowed freely, Il Gattopardo was and is an integral part of New York City’s wine community—not unlike a social club for which the only Gianfranco Sorrentino, Paula Bolla-Sorrentino, membership requirements are a love of and chef Vito Gnazzo with their Gambero Rosso fine Italian food and wine. “Top Italian Restaurants” award. And then along came COVID-19, an un- wanted guest that has crippled New York’s at des Artistes. They also felt confident rant industry as the president of Gruppo restaurant industry and prompted almost enough about the industry’s recovery Italiano, a nonprofit that fosters Italian daily announcements of permanently to renovate another of their businesses, culinary culture through educational series shuttered businesses. A September 2020 Mozzarella & Vino. and scholarships. It keeps its membership report issued by the Office of the New Delivery was never a significant part base of restaurants, producers, importers, York State Comptroller states that there of the business model at any of their and distributors informed through online were 23,650 bars and restaurants in the restaurants, but as with many business events, and it partnered with the Associa- city in 2019, but “over the next six months owners, the pandemic forced the trio to tion of Italian Chefs in New York (AICNY) to a year,” as many as 12,000 could go out reconsider. “I always told my customers, to pen an open letter to Governor An- of business due to the pandemic. ‘Don’t get delivery; come to the restau- drew Cuomo with recommendations on The Il Gattopardo team has no intention rant!’ But business changed, so we paid a restoring the industry. of ranking among them. Managing director lot of attention, time, effort, and money to “In the wine business and food busi- Gianfranco Sorrentino; his wife, director revise our menu [and] make something ness, the relationship is important. I tried of operations Paula Bolla-Sorrentino; and more affordable, [easier] to carry away, a couple of the virtual tastings—and yes, chef/partner Vito Gnazzo are no strangers and [easier] to warm up,” explains Sor- we have to keep going, absolutely—but it’s to adversity, having debuted the restaurant rentino. (To ensure that delivery meals are not the same feeling as when you are with just a week after 9/11. The tragedy and its still fresh by the time they arrive at their 25 or 30 people and exchanging ideas lasting impact on the city taught them to destination, he says, they avoid using third- and comments and feelings. But we’ll get expect the unexpected: “Every ten years or party delivery services.) Many custom- there,” says Sorrentino. 15 years, something happens, and you have ers also order wines to accompany their Yes, we will: One day I’ll return to Il to face it,” says Sorrentino. “But I didn’t meals, and Sorrentino is replenishing his Gattopardo to wine and dine with the expect the pandemia.” inventory of older bottlings with purchases community that I miss so much. And when Adapting to ever-changing state and made via auction. He is also a champion I do, hearing “Ciao, Wanda” again will be local guidelines, Sorrentino set up elegant of natural, organic, and Biodynamic wines music to my ears. outdoor seating areas that he described from small, lesser-known Italian wineries. as evoking “the feeling of a piazza in Beyond focusing on the survival of Wanda Mann is a Certified Specialist of Wine Europe” at both Il Gattopardo and their his own businesses, Sorrentino serves and the founder of winewithwanda.com. Upper West Side restaurant, The Leopard as an advocate for the citywide restau- Follow her on Instagram @winedinewanda.

16 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 92 PTS EARTH WILD STRAWBERRY BLACK CHERRY

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SCORE AWARDED TO VINTAGE 2019 PINOT NOIR. TRY OUR LATEST RELEASE. ©2021 IMAGERY ESTATE WINERY, GLEN ELLEN, CA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. elevating the rockies { } by Ruth Tobias May We Suggest a Colorado Syrah with Those Ribs? FOOD HISTORIAN ADRIAN MILLER ON DIVERSIFYING AMERICAN WINE CULTURE

OF THE MANY wonderful things PHOTO: BERNARD GRANT for which Colorado is known, a Black American culinary tradition is not among Ultimately, the them, for obvious demographic reasons; neither is a robust wine industry, for goal is to “expand various geographical reasons. And yet the imagination the state is home to one of the nation’s foremost scholars on the former, Denver of foodies” and native Adrian Miller—who’s now using his professionals alike considerable clout to raise awareness for the latter while, ideally, helping to make it with respect to more inclusive as a new member of the forging a wine Colorado Wine Industry Development culture that’s (CWID) Board. It should be noted that Miller isn’t, more inclusive by his own admission, much of a wine from a societal, expert; though he has written eloquently on the subject of “red drink,” it isn’t Cab geographical, or Merlot he means but rather a bever- and culinary age category that runs from West African perspective. bissap (hibiscus tea) to Tropical Punch Kool-Aid. But no matter, for two reasons. One, he’s the ultimate multi-hyphenate. With a law degree from Georgetown, he has worked in the White House under But reason two for joining the CWID Black history, and the challenges African President Clinton and in the office of board of directors is even more impor- Americans have in the industry,” in his former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, and tant: As he puts it, “I thought it was a words. He plans to host similar virtual today he serves as the executive direc- good opportunity, because I do have this panels throughout the year, from March tor of the Colorado Council of Churches; desire to bring diversity initiatives to the for Women’s History Month through to along the way, he became a food historian food and beverage industry—and wine next Chinese New Year. almost by accident. Winning a James Beard certainly needs that. What can I do to And then there’s National Barbecue Award for his first book, Soul Food: The help not only bring diverse audiences to Month in May, for which Miller’s organiz- Surprising History of an American Cuisine, Colorado wine but also talk to the indus- ing an event to celebrate Black vintners One Plate at a Time in 2014, he went on to try about outreach?” alongside the pitmasters who shaped and publish The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Though as of press time he was just continue to shape the great American Story of the African Americans Who Have getting started, his first program was pastime of low and slow meat cookery. Ul- Fed Our First Families, From the Washingtons scheduled for February 17 in honor of timately, he says, the goal is to “expand the to the Obamas in 2017, and this spring will Black History Month: an online discussion imagination of foodies” and professionals mark the release of Black Smoke: African with Denver sommelier Kendra Ander- alike with respect to forging a wine culture Americans and the United States of Barbe- son (profiled in my August/September that’s more inclusive from a societal, geo- cue. At the rate Miller acquires know-how, 2020 column) and William Davis, the graphical, and culinary perspective. Bring in short, he could probably earn a Master Denver-based director of education for on the fried catfish platter with a bottle of of Wine certification in record time. Wilson Daniels, about “Black winemaking, Colorado Riesling.

18 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021

wes’ side S { } a by Wes Hagen li na s TheThe Central Central Coast Coast (North) (North) extended extended area. area

0 mi 20 S Chalone a l 0 km 20 in as Santa Lucia The Wine Glass Highlands M SAN BENITO o Arroyo n t Seco e r e King City y of the World MONTEREY San Bernabe San Lucas EXPLORING THE NEXT STOP ON THE CENTRAL San Lucas S S a l COAST BEAT: a San i MONTEREY COUNTY n n A Antonio a n Valley s to N n Hames LAST ISSUE, WE LEARNED how coastal influence and climatic and soil-based diversity a io c Valley im impact the 12 AVAs of Paso Robles. We’re continuing on that theme as we head north i San Antonio Bradley en Reservoir into the vineyards of Monterey County—an area of great significance in California history. to Monterey was the capital of Alta California under the rule of both Spain and Mexico for SAN LUIS OBISPO E much of the 19th century, and before California earned U.S. statehood, it was the only str ella port where taxable goods were allowed to land. Fast-forward 175 years: Monterey County is home to the Salinas Valley, which is nicknamed “the Salad Bowl of the World,” but the region could perhaps just as easily be My Top Monterey likened to a wine glass. Between the historic Cannery Row, a world-class aquarium, the Drinking Spots greatest golf courses on the West Coast, and an amazingly diverse array of wines from value-driven to ultra-premium, Monterey is one of my favorite areas in which to travel, FINE DINING: Passionfish (passionfish. eat, discover, and relax. net) in Pacific Grove has one of the Though it’s difficult to define all eight AVAs (not including the overarching Monterey best-priced wine lists I’ve ever seen as AVA) in just a few hundred words, consider this primer a motivator for digging deeper well as Michelin-quality food. into the region through your own wine exploration. Starting in the south, the Hames Valley, San Antonio Valley, San Lucas, and San Bernabe BEER: Alvarado Street Brewery in AVAs are the furthest away from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean and the wind Salinas and on Cannery Row is my tunnel that runs north and south from Monterey Bay. Hot-weather grapes—Cabernet current favorite brewery in the U.S. If Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and both white and red Rhône varieties—particularly thrive in the you knew how much I love beer and San Antonio and Hames valleys; San Lucas and San Bernabe receive a touch more bay in- how much I travel, you would know fluence that makes the latter the better contender for Burgundian varietals like Pinot Noir what a statement that is. and Chardonnay, while the former has great success with Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot as well as Chardonnay. Soils within these four AVAs are diverse but can WINE: Scheid Family Wines generally be defined as loam-based with deposits of gravel, clay, and ocean sand. (scheidfamilywines.com), which has Lying closer to the bay, the northern AVAs of Monterey focus more on cool-climate tasting rooms at its winery in Green- wine production. The Santa Lucia Highlands likely enjoys the greatest reputation for qual- field and in Carmel-by-the-Sea, might ity in the ultra-premium category; it’s famous for the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah just make the best wines at their planted on its slopes in gravelly sand loam that offers drainage and yields small berries. price point in California right now. Its Located in the center of Monterey wine country, Arroyo Seco is partially sheltered from ascendency in the past decade has the bay breezes and has dozens of mesoclimates that allow both cool- and warm-climate been nothing short of phenomenal. varietals to thrive in the shaly, loamy soils. And in Carmel Valley, collectors seek out com- Pisoni in the Santa Lucia Highlands is plex Bordeaux-style wines from the AVA’s warmer elevated sites along with Pinots and another favorite—Gary Pisoni is quite Chards from its cooler vineyards. a character and is known for his hos- Finally, on the eastern edge of the county is the Chalone AVA, which is famous for pitality. If you can get an appointment Monterey’s oldest vineyards, established in 1919; a marginal climate defined by both (contact [email protected]), warmth and Pacific influence; and rare, decomposed granite and limestone soils. These you will not be disappointed. Feel free characteristics combine to make wines of great depth, finesse, and aromatic power. to say Wes Hagen sent you. Finally, To conclude, it should also be noted that the greater Monterey AVA is home to large- Bernardus Winery (bernardus.com) in scale cool-climate vineyards that produce incredibly solid, value-based Pinot Noirs: They’re Carmel Valley offers world-class tast- perhaps among the best under-$20 expressions of the grape in the world. ing experiences in an amazing setting.

20 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 THE BOUQUET. THE BODY. THE EXPERIENCE. THE ELEGANCE.

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AN INFAMOUS ROOSTER NAMED ingly choosing to promote biodiversity in tioners flock to the Atlantic coast to enjoy Maurice and a gaggle of contented geese their vineyards. Over the last two decades, the beaches and the local seafood, includ- have helped ensure biodiversity in France. a plethora of national and regional certi- ing the highly prized oysters cultivated in In the face of complaints about the noises fication programs—all of which prioritize Marennes-Oléron, which account for 45% and smells typical of the countryside, the biodiversity among their initiatives—have of the nation’s oyster production. French Parliament passed a law on January been introduced and are being widely ad- Cited by Christophe Sueur, mayor of 21, 2021, protecting what it calls the “sen- opted. As such, the new ruling represents Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, as “common sense,” sory heritage” of its rural areas. an unexpected win for them as well. the sensory heritage ruling also entrusts While the primary intention of the That also applies to producers on the regional heritage inventory services ruling is to help local officials tasked small island of Oléron off the Atlantic formed to implement the requirements with mediating disputes between vaca- coast of western France. There, vineyards of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for tioners and local residents (more on that surround the village of Saint-Pierre- the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural later), it introduces sounds and smells into d’Oléron, where Maurice was put on Heritage—in this case the L’Inventaire the French environmental code as rec- trial in 2019 for disturbing the peace. The Général du Patrimoine Culturel for ognized characteristics of natural spaces. rooster has come to symbolize the grow- Poitou-Charentes—with the task of iden- In doing so, it’s able to protect them the ing polarization between rural and urban tifying and qualifying the cultural identity same way it does the land, the quality of France, and the pandemic has only fueled of rural areas, including their sounds the air, and the biodiversity of plant and tensions as city dwellers seek refuge in the and olfactory elements. This process will animal species. countryside during prolonged lockdowns. help protect them through heritage- French Minister for Rural Affairs Joël Winegrowers in Oléron and the professional training programs, funding, Giraud celebrated the adoption of the law, surrounding department of Charente- public-education initiatives, and the like. which he said aims to “define and protect Maritime produce Cognac, Pineau, The French government has been given a the sensory heritage of the French coun- and dry wines from Ugni Blanc, Folle six-month deadline to present the court tryside”—be that in reference to livestock Blanche, Colombard, Sémillon, Sauvignon with a definition of “abnormal neighbor- manure, church bells, the raucous buzz of Blanc, and Montils as well as Cabernet hood disturbances” that may include en- cicadas, or the growl of diesel tractors. Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. vironmental factors; local elected officials As residents of the nation where the Their websites promote enotourism and will then be able to use these guidelines loosely defined concept of terroir origi- the rich biodiversity of their estates. Tour- to resolve neighborhood conflicts while nated, winegrowers in France are increas- ism is the region’s largest industry; vaca- preserving the terroir.

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Courtney Bunn DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE, JW MARRIOTT LOS ANGELES L.A. LIVE AND THE RITZ-CARLTON, LOS ANGELES, CA by Michelle M. Metter X Tell me about your current role. Q: The combined property has been my work home for three years, and it has never run short of challenges or opportunities. My role as director includes over- seeing several bars and lounges in addition to the restaurant beverage [program]. From meeting vendors to training staff and creating pop-up bars, the site is exciting and the role diverse.

What led you to where you are now? Q: Ah, my wine journey, [which is] far from over. Wine made its way into my life after my time in the service. I attended the Culinary Institute of America and fell in love studying it. I have kept myself in roles surrounded by wine and spirits ever since. I always consider myself a student in wine, never done learning!

How have you adjusted your buying strategies during the pandemic? Q: Buyers everywhere are adjusting now, [whether they want to] or not, to keep pace with business. I have certainly pulled the brakes on purchases in every category, [with] beer making the order sheets the most [due to] its limited shelf life. [Last year] gave way to new opportunities to taste and learn: I am a huge fan of SommCon’s digital buyers’ tastings, [and] I spend more time than ever learning about winemakers’ styles and vineyard histories through digital presentations and conferences.

Are you currently helping to mentor a team? Q: A team, no. A few individuals, yes. The restrictions on food and beverage COURTNEY BUNN IS THE DIRECTOR [operations] in L.A. have left so much of my team displaced. The struggles our of beverage for the JW Marriott Los industry has endured in the last year still sit in the air. The silver lining in the loss of Angeles L.A. LIVE and The Ritz-Carlton, colleagues and teams is the resiliency and realness in those relationships. Regardless Los Angeles, a 1,000-room dual-hotel of place, we lift each other up. Fewer hugs and late-night tastings, more video calls property in the heart of downtown; and group texts for 2021 bonding. steps from the Staples Center, it’s the host venue for numerous awards shows. You have ten minutes and one bottle of wine. What are you drinking A U.S. Army veteran and travel-addicted Q: and who are you with? sommelier, she is a Certified Wine It must be a bottle of bubbly, and my love list is long in that category for a good Specialist and was recently named a reason. I would raise a glass with [CrossFit Games champion] Tia-Clair Toomey. I am “30 Under 30 Emerging Leader” by the obsessed with her athleticism and dedication to her training. California Travel Association. San Diego–based wine journalist Michelle Metter is the co-founder and director of SommCon USA. The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel are proud supporters of SommCon and its mission of continuing education and training for the global wine industry. Follow Metter on Instagram @michellemettersd.

24 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Sin a Little

America’s Favorite Zinfandel

TRAINING IS ONE of the most funda- mentally misunderstood activities within the beverage industry. The confusion largely stems from a failure to recognize that it’s distinctive from education insofar as its primary purpose is not to instruct but to boost revenue. Staff training should focus on imparting knowledge by not only providing a de- scription of a product but also promoting an understanding of it in order to enhance and enrich the guest’s experience. Rather than sharing technical details, convey the stories that make the product exciting— and your net result will be an improved financial position. This concept is more easily understood in the context of a restaurant’s food program. There is a reason servers are trained to know the chef’s history and culinary philosophy, the provenance of key ingre- it delivers its passengers to a fun activity or dients, and the major techniques used to event, to conjure the sense of excitement prepare each dish; your beverage program Most sales are made that owning the car will bring. should be similarly communicated. from a feeling of This exact technique can easily be ap- When training, people often focus on plied to wine training. Do yourself a favor the doldrums of “what,” as in “What is connection and and ditch the tasting sheets, pour the wine the region, subregion, appellation, harvest excitement—not by for your staff, and simply encourage a date, vinification vessel, oak profile, et discussion: Ask them what they taste, why cetera?” Yet in my nearly two decades as rote recitation of they like it, what menu items it might pair a sommelier, I cannot remember a single technical details. well with, how they would describe it to instance of a guest seeking a wine based a guest, and so on. As the conversation on technical details like whether it spent at unfolds, you can begin to offer pertinent least 12 months in 80% new French oak, tidbits of the story behind the region, wine, was at least 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, was well with a certain dish? After all, these or winery, providing talking points and harvested in October, or had a minimum experiential details are what guests are descriptive language to help them round of 14.2% alcohol. All of that information is ultimately looking for—especially when the out their knowledge and elicit excitement irrelevant to your patrons, so why would price tag is high. among your guests. you spend time emphasizing it during your Remember, most sales are made from Using this approach, you’ll be empower- valuable pre-shift time with your staff? a feeling of connection and excitement— ing your staff with the appropriate tools for Focus instead on the “how” and “why”: not by rote recitation of technical details. their job and the confidence to use them Why is this wine special? How does its Think about the sales approach used by correctly. Remember, sommeliers cannot story, and/or that of the producer, enhance most car commercials: They show the physically be part of every wine transac- or benefit the guest experience? How is vehicle cruising down a beautiful road, tion, but truly effective ones can absolutely it best experienced? Why does it pair so passing through nature or a vibrant city as influence them all with proper training.

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Our historic vineyards in Contra Costa County are an endangered species. The soil and topography have been likened to a sandy beach. Vines planted over a century ago are head-pruned and dry-farmed, yielding small berries with amazing flavor. The resulting wines are soulful evidence that time does indeed build character.

Where Bordeaux Meets the

RhôneWITH CABERNET AND SHIRAZ, PENFOLDS BRINGS THE BEST OF THE OLD WORLD TOGETHER IN THE NEW by Stefanie Schwalb PHOTOS COURTESY OF TREASURY WINE ESTATES TREASURY OF COURTESY PHOTOS Old-vine Shiraz in the Barossa Valley.

28 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 IN VITICULTURE AS IN real estate, mountains all play a role in giving Shiraz that point, Penfolds, and most of Australia location, location, location is everything. more concentration, making it spicier and for that matter, was still producing a lot of That’s because, depending on where it’s bolder with a smoky edge. fortified wines.” In the late 1940s, Schubert planted, a grape can express a range of One of Australia’s oldest wineries, was sent to Europe to work with Port and different personalities. Two great examples Penfolds was founded in 1844 when Dr. Sherry producers, but he also went to Bor- are Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah/Shiraz: Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife, deaux to study its winemakers’ approach to Both make themselves at home in France Mary, purchased the 500-acre Magill Estate such techniques as barrel maturation. “Max and Australia, where the terroir shares a right outside of Adelaide at the foot of the always said it’s [as much about] getting the handful of commonalities, such as mari- Mount Lofty Range. The couple was among wine into the oak as the oak into the wine time effect, but also plenty of differences the first wave of migrants to colonize that and finding that balance,” said Irwin. that both varieties reflect. Throughout part of South Australia. “They bought their That holds true for the Penfolds Bin 389. the webinar “Where Bordeaux Meets estate for 1,200 pounds, built a cottage Renowned for its heritage and consistency, the Rhône,” held on January 11 as part of called The Grange, and planted vineyards,” it was first produced in 1960—just nine SOMM Sessions, our monthly educational said Ballance. “Dr. Penfold quickly estab- years after the first vintage of Penfolds’ taste-along series with Treasury Wine lished a medical practice, all based on legendary Grange. “It is often referred to Estates, all eyes, ears, and palates were growing grapes and creating tonics that he as ‘Baby Grange’ because components of focused on South Australian Cabernet would prescribe as medication—fortified the wine are matured in the same barrels Sauvignon and Shiraz as represented by the famed Penfolds estate. Led by Lars Leicht, VP of education for The SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel, and Treasury Wine Estates education manager Gillian Ballance, MS, the class provided a glimpse into the winery’s region, history, and industry impact along with a tasting of the Penfolds 2018 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (see also page 53). There was also a surprise guest in attendance—Tim Irwin, Penfolds’ regional general manager—who shared some insights on the company’s winemaking techniques, including the blending of these two distinct varieties. Located 10,000-plus miles apart from one another, South Australia and France naturally have differing climates, each of which offers its own advantages for the grapes grown there. With France’s marine- coastal climate comes a greater diurnal Grange barrels rest at Penfolds’ Magill Estate in Adelaide, South Australia. temperature shift and greater precipitation, whereas Australia enjoys roughly wines, essentially.” As the business grew that held the previous vintage of Grange,” 500 more hours of sunlight a year—an substantially, Mary took care of the home- Ballance explained. additional 1.5 hours per day. In Bordeaux, stead, including the vineyards; when her As for blending Cabernet and Shiraz, Cabernet is renowned for its complex- husband died, she took over winery opera- Irwin observed that it’s quite common in ity, structure, and, of course, pedigree, tions and began to build on his success. The Australia: “When you think about what while in Australia, it’s celebrated for being Magill Estate remains the spiritual home of they add to a wine, you’re getting things smoother, less tannic, and more berry Penfolds, complete with a highly awarded like the perfume, the intensity from the fruit–forward. fine-dining restaurant. Penfolds also owns Cabernet, [along with] chocolaty tannins, As for Syrah, it’s revered in the Rhône a cellar door and winemaking facility in [and] then the Shiraz brings this opu- Valley (especially in the north around Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley as well as lence, flashiness, and generosity of fruit. It’s Hermitage) for being deeply colored, acreage across the South Eastern Australia something altogether different.” He added, multilayered, and full of black-fruit flavors wine region, including in Tasmania. “The thing I love about Bin 389 is it is so as well as for its structure, elegance, tan- A key player in Penfolds’ evolution was approachable now, but it will age ten, 20, nins, and ageability. In Australia—the only Max Schubert, its first chief winemaker 30, 40 years with great vintages. It’s really other place in the world where this variety and the creator of Penfolds Grange, who exciting to see how tertiary characters may come from vines as old as 100–150 was at the helm from 1948 to 1975. “Max come into a wine, and I think both variet- years—the southerly latitude, winds off was very pivotal in bringing Penfolds into ies will play a role depending on where it the Southern Ocean, and influence of the the modern age,” Ballance noted. “Up until is in its life.”

{ SOMMjournal.com } 29 { notes from the winemaker }

Giving Pyrazines the Green Light IT’S TIME TO RETHINK RIPENESS IN CALIFORNIA REDS by Kate Nowell-Smith

BY ALL ACCOUNTS, the 2020 harvest in Napa, Sonoma, and surrounding counties was among the most devastating on record. The impact of the wildfires in terms of fruit lost to smoke taint is something growers and vintners will be sorting out for months, if not years, to come. But while fires get all of the attention, there is another byproduct of global warming that I see as a far bigger long-term threat to the quality of wines produced in California, and that is the ever-increasing phenomenon of grapes reaching excessively high sugar levels before they are considered phenologically ripe. Fruit that achieves “optimal ripeness” often yields wines that must be heavily manipulated, are high in alcohol, or both. Say your fruit comes in Author Kate at 28 degrees Brix. That means there are Nowell-Smith is roughly 280 grams per liter of sugar in winemaker/GM at Sei Querce your must, so the resulting wine will have Vineyards in a potential alcohol level in the neighbor- Geyserville, CA. hood of 16.5%. It’s well on its way to being a Port!

30 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 evaluate ripeness. With respect to Bor- lost complexity, varietal typicity, and clarity deaux varieties in general and Cabernet of flavor. All roads lead to raisination: An Sauvignon in particular, before I have even overripe must becomes a sort of raisin- tasted the fruit, I want to see the stems prune stew. It will also be excessively high beginning to lignify and turn brown, and I in potential alcohol, will probably have want to see a fairly uniform, deep color in suffered damage from birds and other crit- the cluster. Putting a berry in my mouth, I ters (due to those tasty sugars), and may want the skins to give a little; next I’ll chew have trouble fermenting to dryness with- the seeds, which should be separated out out serious intervention on the part of the from the pulp and turning brown, to check winemaker. Furthermore, the longer fruit for tannin maturity. If they’re underripe, is left on the vine, the greater the chance there will be a sharp hit of bitterness; that a fire will strike, causing smoke taint when ripe, they will give a nice crunch and that renders the entire harvest unusable. taste pleasantly nutty. The question I ask is: Why are we giving I’d guess that most California wine- up so much in order to avoid one naturally makers would be with me so far. Our occurring, potentially delicious flavor com- opinions as to what the fruit should actu- ponent? As a winemaker and consumer, ally taste like, however, diverge—and that I embrace wines that are naturally lower Green Light makes all the difference in the world for in alcohol, higher in acidity, complex, fresh, the final product. and ageworthy. Many great wines are Ripeness, in general, brings fruit flavors made this way. I would like to see Califor- forward. So a ripe Cabernet Sauvignon nia Bordeaux varieties reenter this fold. grape, properly farmed in favorable conditions, should give you a nice burst of delicious flavors—blackberry, black currant, Mindful of this trend, winemakers and raspberry, and so on. But what about the viticulturists are working hard in many naturally occurring methoxypyrazines different ways to reverse it. Much is be- (MPs) found, to a greater or lesser extent, ing done that keeps us hopeful, includ- in all Bordeaux varieties? These coming canopy management and irrigation pounds are responsible for a wide variety programs designed to help grapes stay of “green” flavors, from green bell pepper cool during what we now euphemistically to green beans to hints of thyme and sage. refer to as “heat events” (those 100-plus- For a good decade or more now, many degree days); experimentation with yeasts winemakers have dreaded MPs as the en- that naturally convert less sugar into emy; they leave their fruit on the vine long alcohol; and trials with rootstocks and after all other ripeness parameters have varieties that ripen sooner while retaining been met in an effort to ensure that not a more acid. single hint of greenness remains. Meanwhile, I do see one silver lining It is this intolerance for MPs that needs to the threat of both rising temperatures to be reexamined for the good of the and more frequent wildfires (beyond an wine, the consumer, and the industry at increasing awareness among winemak- large. I get it—once picked, MP levels stay ers of their carbon footprint, which is of relatively unchanged, and their flavors can course a necessity): It may finally encour- become more prominent over time if we age more producers and consumers aren’t careful; I’m not suggesting that notes alike to reconsider their definition of of canned asparagus or jalapeño should ripe fruit—especially when it comes to dominate our Cabernets. But I do want Cabernet Sauvignon, arguably the variety us to reembrace the delicious herbaceous most heavily impacted by climate change notes that occur naturally in many varieties in California. thanks to MPs. All too often, waiting to When I’m walking the rows near harvest until every last vestige of green- harvesttime, I’m using all of my senses to ness is gone means that the fruit will have

{ SOMMjournal.com } 31 Dear Good Somm/Bad Somm, When the pandemic is finally over, I’m going to host a small party for my circle of friends. There’s just one problem: I was planning on exclusively serving wine, but one friend doesn’t drink, which is hard for me to make sense of as a sommelier. Is it necessary to find a nonalcoholic option just for them? Thanks, Harried Host Dear Good Somm/Bad Somm, Pandemic permitting, a friend of mine is getting married at a beautiful winery at the end of the year. I want to bring a plus Dear Harried Host, one—my girlfriend, who loves wine—but I’m not actually sure if Of course you have free rein over your party’s rules of engage- I’m allowed to. How should I approach it? ment, from the table design and decorations to the food and Best, beverages—but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be accommo- Pining for a Plus One dating. Quite the opposite, in fact: A good host would go out of their way to make guests feel welcome no matter their personal preferences. After all, there are many reasons a person might decline an alcoholic beverage. Dear Pining for a Plus One, As a hospitality professional, you’re probably well aware that First and foremost, ask yourself whom you’re putting first here, plenty of tasty drinks can be made sans alcohol, so I’d pick one yourself or your friend? Keep in mind that if there wasn’t a plus or two mocktails and make them available for all of your guests one indicated on your invitation, it’s likely because the guest so no one feels singled out. My go-to is to serve virgin Piña Cola- count is limited due to their budget or the venue’s capacity. De- das in fresh coconuts or fancy gourmet tea—try Mariage Frères pending on your situation, it’s best to have a conversation well in from Paris—in wine glasses with ice and your choice of garnish. advance to see if it’s possible to bring your girlfriend, but if you’re No matter what you decide, just remind yourself that it will casually dating instead of in a serious, long-term relationship, it’s be amazing to get together with your friends after such a long probably best to just let it lie. Use your best judgment and don’t hiatus. The conversation will flow with or without wine as you make this something worth burning a bridge over: This is your catch up, reminisce, and simply enjoy each other’s company. friend and their partner’s day and you have to respect their deci- What’s actually in the glass seems all but irrelevant when we’re in sion. That said, I’m confident you’ll have many opportunities to the presence of those we care about. visit wineries with your girlfriend in the future—what better way Sincerely, to strengthen not only your love of wine but your bond with Good Somm each other? Yours truly, Good Somm

Dear Harried Host, As long as they’re not on their phone in the corner of my apart- ment or sucking the oxygen out of the room as they monologue Dear Pining for a Plus One, about [fill-in-the-blank topic that no one cares about] all night, No plus one, no minus one, no problem—both of you should they’re good in my book. Beverages of all kinds, alcoholic and show up like they’ve rolled the red carpet out just for you. Som- non, flow freely in this household—my friends stay thirsty, and meliers deserve a free pass: You’ll be the life of the party as you hydration is key! share your extensive knowledge about the winery, forging con- Cheers, nections with your debonair charm and your date on your arm. Bad Somm What’s the worst that can happen—a friendship-ending feud in the name of a romance that’s bound to end a month later? Seems like a fair price to pay for that open bar. Signed, Bad Somm

This column is a parody and does not reflect the views of The SOMM Journal. Follow the columnists at @goodsommbadsomm on social media and visit their website at goodsommbadsomm.com.

32 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021

PENCALI-TSJ-Advert-AW-v3.indd 1 05/02/2021 08:15 SOMM SESSIONS is an educational taste- along webinar held the second Monday of every OMM month. Participants SESSIONS will have the chance to S receive a scholarship WEBINAR AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM from SommFoundation or to win a trip to Crush C a m p . APRIL 12, 11 A.M. PDT

“CROSSING THE COUNTY LINE: Hosted by Knights Valley, Gillian Ballance, MS , o f Treasury Wine Estates and 50 Years of Innovation” Lars Leicht , VP/Education FEATURED WINE fo r The SOMM Journal Beringer 2018 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon a n d The Tasting Panel

To register, visit sommjournal.com or tastingpanelmag.com. The first 50 qualified beverage professionals to sign up will receive a bottle of wine from SommFoundation to taste along with our hosts.

THE JOURNAL SOMM { SOMMjournal.com } 35 { restaurants } by Michelle M. Metter The Juggle Is Real

IL PALIO RESTAURANT GROUP HOSPITALITY WASN’T THE FIRST profession Nemanja Pejcˇic´ (pro- nounced Neh-ma-nyah Pay-chich) envisioned for himself, but after leaving WINE DIRECTOR NEMANJA his job as a registered nurse in his native Serbia, he took his first industry PEJCˇIC´ OVERSEES SOME OF position aboard the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner. More than a decade later, SAN DIEGO’S BEST CONCEPTS one might say he is exactly where he was always meant to be (and he has the awards for several wine lists he’s created along the way to prove it). Born in Belgrade, Pejcˇic´ moved to New York City in 2008 after landing photo by Rafael Peterson a job at Oscar Café in SoHo and went on to work alongside chef Wylie Dufresne at WD-50, followed by The Lambs Club in Midtown. By 2013, though, he and his wife sought a slower-paced lifestyle, so they traded in skycrapers for the shores of San Diego. His California CV nonetheless reads like a serious foodie’s bucket list, including notable gigs at Juniper and Ivy and The Marine Room; now wine director at Il Palio Restaurant Group, he oversees a portfolio of concepts that includes Osteria Panevino, Saltwa- ter, The Butcher’s Cut Steakhouse, Osetra Seafood & Steaks, and Greystone Prime Steakhouse & Seafood. Osteria Panevino is a small and casual Sicilian-style eatery that’s popular among locals, while Saltwater, a seafood restaurant that opened last year, remains temporarily closed due to the pandemic—but it typically operates with a wine list featuring 140 selections. “When creating this program, my goal was having wines that drink well now,” says Pejcˇic´. “I wanted all wines featured to be at [their] peak and ready to deliver [the best possible] experience to our guests.” Of the group’s three steakhouse concepts, Butcher’s Cut is the most casual, with a versatile wine list equally divided between the Old World and the New. Osetra, meanwhile, also serves seafood (including, of course, caviar) within a dimly lit yet energizing ambiance as well as a fine collection of tête de cuvée Champagne, minerally whites, and large-format library reds from Italy and Napa. Finally, the list at Greystone features over 1,100 selections; the restaurant was one of seven in San Diego County recognized with Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence.” Pejcˇic´ says that giving back brings him joy, and he’s been fortunate enough to do just that both on and off the clock over the course of the pandemic. He notes that Il Palio Restaurant Group owners Vincenzo Loverso and Alessandro Minutella and their management team provided much-needed leadership as the restaurants struggled at the onset of the pandemic, keeping their staffs hard at work providing thousands of meals for first responders in March 2020. In his spare time, meanwhile, Pejcˇic´ serves as a member of the nonprofit Serbs for Serbs, which works to better the lives of families in need in the Balkans through humanitarian aid and other projects. And, like many parents, Pejcˇic´ is currently juggling the demands of his career with those of his home life in unprecedented ways, in part by helping his two children with their remote schooling. Fortunately, San Diego’s temperate weather provides plenty of opportunities for stress relief: Silver linings come in the form of family time spent cycling, going on weekly runs, playing basketball, cooking, and hitting the beach.

36 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 One of a kind coastal wines

SAUVIGNON BLANC “BEST BUY”

2018 VINTAGE, DEC. 2019 ISSUE

SGLS-2020 SB_TastingPanel_May_Ad_Mech.indd 1 4/15/20 11:33 AM Besserat de Bellefon NV Bleu Brut, Champagne, France ($60) Refinement and charm converge in this blend of 45% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Noir, whose classic, well-defined nose of green Sparkle apple, lemon, and yeastiness meets a palate with not only a Goldeneye 2017 Brut Rosé, Anderson touch more creaminess than Valley ($65) The pale hue of strawberry- expected but downright playful peach sorbet, this traditional-method spar- flavors of lemon meringue, orange blossom, kler of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardon- Motion“Sometimes I doubt your com- and almonds spiced with tangerine zest, nay offers up graceful notes of sour cherry mitment to Sparkle Motion,” saffron, and sea salt. The slightly tongue-in- and baguette that meet flashes of pink moans one frenzied pageant cheek tech sheet suggests you pair it with grapefruit and cinnamon-dusted almond in mom to another in a scene from “three shrimp, six oysters, and a cornet of the mouth, where its chiffon texture pres- cult classic Donnie Darko. Well, French fries,” but we disagree—given the ages a finish laced with fresh orange. 92 don’t doubt ours. In this column, finish, you should have time for at least four THE DUCKHORN PORTFOLIO we at The SOMM Journal rate the shrimp. 93 most notable sparkling wines that WINESELLERS, LTD. cross our desks and lips each Alta Vista NV Brut Malbec, issue. Given the wide range of Mendoza, Argentina ($17) production methods, styles, and Laetitia NV Brut Cuvée, Ar- Sporting a light salmon color price points the category cov- royo Grande Valley, San Luis and a cheerful mousse, this ers, we’ve devised the following Obispo County ($28) The ap- Uco Valley–sourced, Char- system to score each on its own peal of this blend of 43% Pinot mat-method rosé of Malbec merits. Noir, 34% Chardonnay, and aims to please with bouncy 23% Pinot Blanc starts with its red plum and pomelo on persistent pinpoint perlage and the nose, while the soft yet continues through scents of juicy palate is blanketed with 1 BUBBLE makrut lime leaf, grapefruit ice, close-knit flavors of Rainier Simple but satisfying. and bread smeared with salted cherry, pink grapefruit, and butter. Similar flavors join pear ripe peach. 92 2 BUBBLES leather and Brazil nut, while the KOBRAND Satisfying and a little more clean yet rounded mouthfeel complex. points to the moderate finish. 92 VINTAGE WINE ESTATES Chronic Cellars NV Spritz 3 BUBBLES & Giggles Brut, California A strong example of its kind. ($17) Between the name and Venturini Baldini NV Mar- 4 BUBBLES the Day of the Dead–inspired A superb example of its kind. chese Manodori Reggiano graphics on the label, it’s clear Lambrusco Frizzante DOP, from the get-go this bubbly 5 BUBBLES Italy ($19) A full eight months is built for fun. An abundance Stellar by any standard. before Thanksgiving rolls back of apple blossom, peach, and around, we already know at strawberry from start to least one wine we’ll be serving finish make it a good bet for for the big feast. This blend of a (socially distanced) brunch For details on submitting four Lambrusco grapes—Ma- gathering or picnic date. 88 wines for review, contact rani, Maestri, Salamino, and managing editor Ruth Tobias at Grasparossa—exudes holiday [email protected]. spirit with aromas of cranberry, red plum, and touches of herb and balsamic, the latter of which reappears on the rather savory, well-structured palate along with bright cherry and pepper. 93 MASSANOIS IMPORTS

38 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 TheONESommJournalARTOL.pdf 1 2/15/21 11:54 AM

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BYANDREA ROBINSON MASTER SOMMELIER

CMY

{ SOMMjournal.com } 39 T HE WORLD'S L ARGEST AND MOST INFLUENT IAL WINE COMPETITION

The value of medals given by the Tasting Alliance competitions cannot be overstated—winners historically see immediate and significant increases in sales and public perception. There simply is not a more reliable, prestigious, or widely recognized indication of excellence.

VI EW W I N N ERS AT SFWINECOMP.COM

@SFINTLWINECOMP #SFIWC

@THETASTINGALLIANCE #THETASTINGALLIANCE { central coast } Black Is the

Bien Nacido Estate Black Label 2018 Old Vines Pinot Noir, San- New Red ta Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County ($100) An earth mother: lithe and graceful yet with a primal, BIEN NACIDO ESTATE’S BLACK LABEL even carnal sense of terroir. Notes CONTAINS THE CREAM OF ITS SYRAH AND of cinnamon, roses, dark maple, and salted strawberry preserves PINOT NOIR CROP by Ruth Tobias join a sleek mouthfeel, whose refined acidity finishes with an JUST AS BIEN NACIDO ESTATE rests on the foundation of its famed name- orange-peel brightness. The Pom- sake vineyard, so its Black Label wines form “the pillars of [its] portfolio,” says Will mard clone grapes, first planted in Costello, Master Sommelier and ambassador of Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills 1973, add profound maturity to Estates. “They’re what provide its structure”—namely by epitomizing just what’s those well-defined aromatics. 96 so special about the Miller family’s Santa Maria Valley property, established in 1973. —Meridith May Take the Old Vines Reserve Pinot Noir, which speaks to Bien Nacido’s history insofar as it’s made from original plant- Bien Nacido Estate Black Label ings across three blocks. As Costello 2018 The XO Syrah, Santa Maria points out, these “own-rooted, un- Valley, Santa Barbara County grafted 50-year-old vines are a rarity ($100) From vines planted 37 in California and the wine world in years ago, this Syrah is now in its general”; only 56 cases of the soon- fourth vintage. Aged 16 months to-be-released 2018 vintage were in French oak at a relatively low made, reflecting the preciousness of 13% ABV, it’s abundant in notes the age-limited yield. of plum and blue heather that T HE WORLD'S L ARGEST Then there’s The XO Syrah, named resonate with the chalky, cof- AND MOST INFLUENT IAL in part for the X Block from which fee tannin–laced mouthfeel. The it has been sourced since the debut persistence of blue flowers on the WINE COMPETITION vintage of 2014. “Bien Nacido was mid-palate melds with the vari- the first vineyard in all of cool-climate etally classic flavors of grilled meat PHOTO COURTESY OF BIEN NACIDO AND SOLOMON HILLS ESTATES AND SOLOMON HILLS OF BIEN NACIDO COURTESY PHOTO The value of medals given by the Tasting Alliance California to be planted to Syrah, and black pepper. That gaminess, Will Costello, MS, is ambassador of Bien which had been [considered] unpro- along with minerality and Proven- competitions cannot be overstated—winners historically Nacido and Solomon Hills Estates. duceable” in the area up to that point, çal herbs, stimulates the senses in see immediate and significant increases in sales and Costello explains. But Qupé founder ways reminiscent of the Northern Bob Lindquist proved conventional wisdom wrong—and the Millers right—when Rhône. 96 —M.M. public perception. There simply is not a more reliable, he made his first Bien Nacido Syrah to great acclaim back in 1987. According to Costello, XO is also a nod to the “terminology used for the Bien Nacido Estate Black prestigious, or widely recognized indication of excellence. second in command on a naval ship, [and] the reason it’s called Executive Officer Label 2018 The Captain Pinot leads to the third pillar”: The Captain Pinot Noir, christened in honor of third- Noir, Santa Maria Valley, Santa generation estate member Robert Miller, who served as captain of a Ticonderoga- Barbara County ($100) Cherry- class battleship in World War II. It’s sourced from Block 40—essentially a mono- drenched earth is brightened by VI EW W I N N ERS AT pole, says Costello, as the fruit it bears “goes only to our estate program”; planted minerality, while white pepper, SFWINECOMP.COM in 2001, it occupies “the steepest, windiest part of the vineyard with the most baking spice, and exotic floral exposed limestone—which is also a rarity in California.” notes charm the palate, which Given Black Label’s low case production, it should come as no surprise that delivers an unexpected middle @SFINTLWINECOMP #SFIWC sales are geared toward high-end buyers, on-premise and off (as well as to DTC note of cherry pie and saddle @THETASTINGALLIANCE #THETASTINGALLIANCE channels). “We focus on small indie wine shops where the customers have a rela- leather. The vines from which this tionship [with the staff] and understand that these are wines meant for collectors,” wine is sourced sit at 1,100 feet Costello says, as well as on “restaurants that have an investment in their cellar.” If on limestone soils, 16 miles from you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some of the current vintage, the tasting the Pacific. Aged for 16 months in notes at right reveal what you can expect. French oak (45% new). 97 —M.M.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 41 { italy } A Year to Drink Pink

CELEBRATING THE OFFICIAL DEBUT OF PROSECCO DOC ROSÉ by Rachel Macalisang

WINE LUMINARIES AROUND the globe behalf of the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco cocoa, and crispy walnuts. gathered virtually last fall to celebrate the DOC, which was established in 2009. He Masters of Wine from around the world new Prosecco DOC Rosé, a long-awaited noted that 2020 saw the production of also expressed their enthusiasm upon category approved by the EU for export about 500 million bottles of Prosecco, sampling the Consorzio Tutela 2019 Pro- at the beginning of this year. The designa- some 15–20 million of which will qualify secco Rosé DOC Brut Millesimato. Italian tion requires a blend of 85–90% Glera for the Prosecco Rosé designation. Fur- sommelier Alessandro Scorsone described with 10–15% Pinot Nero to impart a thering the use of sustainable winegrowing the brilliance of the wine’s pale-pink pearls soft pink color. In addition, all bottles of and winemaking practices will continue of bubbles as “fireworks” and noted stand- sparkling Prosecco rosé must be labeled to be a major priority in future vintages, out aromas such as roses, wild berries, and “millesimato,” indicating that at least 85% according to the consortium’s general citrus. Brooklyn-based writer and speaker of the fruit used was harvested during the director, Luca Giavi, who explained that Christy Canterbury praised the ballet slip- labeled vintage. “respecting the environment is [a] sign of per–pink color and exotic nose of guava Broadcasted from the breathtaking commitment to protecting the denomina- and passion fruit. And Konstantin Baum, Teatro Mario Del Monaco in Treviso— tion and defending the area.” the youngest MW in Germany, spoke fa- a province known for its high-quality To pay homage to the history and vorably of the vibrant notes of strawberry Prosecco—and hosted by professional culture of Italy, performers Federica and raspberry. speaker Pietro Polidori, the event incorpo- Gasparella, Nicola Zambon, and The celebration of the world’s most rated elements of gastronomy and music Paolo Polon performed “Buone popular sparkling wine concluded with the to showcase the new denomination. Rep- Nuove, Norina” and “Pronta Io song “Quanto Amore” from another Doni- resenting Casa Prosecco DOC USA, the Son” from the Gaetano Doni- zetti opera, L’ Elisir d’amore, and a toast to, official press officeor f the Prosecco DOC zetti opera Don Pasquale. Top in Polidori’s words, “a pink and sparkling in the U.S., Gino Colangelo of New York– Italian chefs, meanwhile, joined future full of success.” For more informa- based communications agency Colangelo the webcast to prepare masterful tion, visit casaprosecco.com. & Partners noted that with the merging pairings for the new category, of the two categories, “rosé is now a four- including Graziano Prest, who season wine, and one can drink Prosecco made lobster tartare with every day.” A representative from Casa Prosecco rosé cream; TV Prosecco DOC Germany, Elke Fierenz, also host Lidia Bastianich, who weighed in, remarking how special Italy’s presented an antipasto; wine industry is for capturing “the art of and Carlo Cracco, whose living and la dolce vita” in its expressions. beautiful persimmon salad Chairman Stefano Zanette appeared on featured salted caramel,

42 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRILMARCH/APRIL 20202121 THANK YOU

SPLURGE NIGHT

JO’S GRADUATION

BRAD’S DINNER PARTY

LAST THANKSGIVING

LAST THURSDAY

BEST WEDDING EVER

BOUGIE SUNDAY BRUNCH

VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR

THE BIG BIRTHDAY

THE END OF DRY JANUARY

40 YEARS OF LETTING US BE A SMALL PART OF YOUR BIG DEALS

silveradovineyards.com SILVERADO © Silverado Vineyards, Napa, CA 40 YEARS 1981 - 2021 { cover story } Transcending

BORDERS PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES DELICATO’S LUXURY TRANSCENDENT WINES PORTFOLIO SPANS THE GLOBE

San Bernabe Vineyard is located in the foothills by Michelle Ball of the Santa Lucia Mountains in the southern reaches of Monterey County.

44 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES elicato Family Wines built its located at the southern end of Monterey business on affordability, produc- County, dates back to the mid-1800s. ing accessible wines for the When Delicato purchased the property in everyday consumer. Over the 1988, it was considered one of the largest past decade, however, it has contiguous vineyards in the world, with been building an aspirational more than 8,000 acres planted. But the collection into its portfolio with company’s leadership quickly realized the terroir-driven expressions that expansive property’s enormous poten- Dspan international borders. tial for quality and over the years have The company traces its beginnings invested in planting varieties suited to its to California in 1924, when Gaspare best parcels. They sold off most of the land Indelicato, an emigrant from Sicily, settled in the southern portion to concentrate there and planted his first vineyard after mainly on the northern end, carving out taking odd jobs to work his way across roughly 100 blocks with 22 microclimates the United States. Today, the company is that stretch across the 1,800 planted acres run by his grandson, CEO Chris Indelicato, Delicato farms today. who in 2019 created Delicato’s Transcen- The defining feature of the broader dent Wines sales division. “Our company San Bernabe AVA, established by the has evolved over the decades as we Black Stallion winemaker Ralf Holdenried TTB in 2004, is aeolian soils on ancient, have grown in the wine business,” says samples barrel lots to decide on the final stabilized sand dunes. “Those soils give us Indelicato. “Focusing on luxury wines and blend for the winery’s flagship Napa Valley a really nice brightness,” says winemaker cuvée, Transcendent. forming Transcendent . . . was a natural James Ewart—who has worked with the progression in our long-term strategy vineyard since 2000—noting that these to build a world-class portfolio. Partner- Transcendent, inspired the division’s name). wind-derived, low-nutrient soils produce ing with other family-owned wineries is Yet the company began laying the founda- round wines with great concentration. By a great fit orf us from a relationship and tion for the Transcendent portfolio long contrast, on the western end of the vine- values perspective.” before it ventured into Napa Valley, starting yard along the foothills of the Santa Lucia The purchase of Napa Valley’s Black Stal- with a vineyard whose name, like that of its Mountains is a limestone ridge with shaly lion Winery in 2010 marked Delicato’s first namesake AVA, has rarely been seen on a loam soils known as the Lockwood series. foray into the premium wine market (the label until recently: San Bernabe. “Those soils give us a little more texture in brand’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée, The history of San Bernabe Vineyard, our wines,” Ewart adds.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 45 Over the years, the Indelicato family has worked closely with Ewart to redevelop San Bernabe Vineyard, elevating the quality of the site’s fruit and channeling the terroir of the MAIPO VALLEY, CHILE: AVA into the wines it yields. The Aussie transplant always knew he wanted to be a winemaker like his father before him, but recognizing that he could always reach out to him for THE SOUL OF ALTO JAHUEL cellar advice, Ewart decided to earn his master’s degree in viticulture. He started working Located at the foothills of the Andes for Delicato as a viticulturist at San Bernabe and enjoyed the experimentation involved Mountains, Santa Rita’s Alto Jahuel in tailoring a particular block to a specific program. “That’s what attracted me [here] and estate vineyard in the Maipo Valley fea- that’s what gets me excited today,” says Ewart. “The Indelicatos always encouraged us tures alluvial terraces that provide idyl- to learn, explore, and do R&D,” even before they had an official lic conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon. program in place for luxury wines. Gravelly, well-drained soils are irrigated Such a program now exists in the form of Diora, a new brand by snowmelt, allowing the vines to be under Ewart’s care that represents small-production bottlings dry farmed despite the arid, hot sum- made from select blocks in San Bernabe Vineyard as well as from mers. While temperatures often ex- PHOTO: JEREMY BALL PHOTO: Delicato’s River Road Vineyard in the neighboring Santa Lucia ceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the Highlands. Nine barrels were blended to produce the inaugural peak of the growing season, nighttime single-vineyard San Bernabe Diora 2018 La Grande Majesté temperatures can drop by up to 40 Pinot Noir ($40), which focuses on a specific block of clone 115 degrees, helping to preserve the grapes’ grown on aeolian soils. Smaller amounts of clones 828 and 777 freshness. Here, a block of old vines were also included for structure, producing a dark, concentrated planted in the late 1960s is responsible style of Pinot Noir whose plush blackberry and cola aromas give for the winery’s most prestigious bot- way to notes of raspberry pie and black tea that lead with ample fruit and grip. Ewart tling: Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon. notes that even if the exact site from which it’s sourced may change depending on the First released in 1989, it’s also among vintage, the label’s intent of highlighting blocks of distinctive character through small-batch Chile’s most respected wines. expressions will remain consistent. “I always call it ‘the soul of Alto Ja- Showcasing the esteem of Napa Valley is the aforementioned Black Stallion Winery in huel.’ What really makes this [site] the Oak Knoll District at the southern end of the Silverado Trail; with a name that pays different are the massal selections,” says tribute to the equestrian center that once stood on its property, it works with esteemed winemaker Sebastián Labbé, explaining growers for its Cabernet Sauvignon, sourcing from 15 of Napa’s 16 sub-AVAs in addi- that since Santa Rita’s founding in 1880, tion to its own estate. Yet rather than producing vineyard-specific Cabernet Sauvignon, vine material has been propagated winemaker Ralf Holdenried opts to “capture [the] terroir of the region through blending. over generations based on desired at- “I have wonderful vineyards to work with—from valley-floor vineyards to mountaintop tributes. The winery has identified four vineyards,” he notes. different clonal variations of Cabernet In highlighting the various microclimates in his final blends, Hold- among Alto Jahuel’s old vines, which enried’s emphasis is on craftsmanship and adapting to the vintage. produce small bunches that fit in the This is especially true for the 2016 Transcendent Cabernet Sauvi- palm of one’s hand and have thick skins gnon ($150), which, like its predecessors, was composed of the best that allow for optimal extraction. 20 barrels. Because 2016 was a drought year, the blend relied heavily “To be in charge of one of the icons PHOTO: JEREMY BALL PHOTO: on fruit from a vineyard on Howell Mountain, which contributed of Chile—one of the top Cabernets in softer tannins than is typical of the area; although this particular ap- the country—something I really had in pellation usually represents a small percentage of the wine, Holden- ried believes that it shows its greatest potential during short, warm, and dry growing seasons. The dichotomy between boldness and softness is captured with this bottling, which leads with luscious dark layers of black currant, black cherry, and graphite; the powerful dark- fruit intensity of the palate is framed by soft, silky edges and spicy notes of clove. One would think that a German-born winemaker who grew up on a vineyard in the Rheinhessen would be taken aback by the rich, opulent style of Napa Valley wines. Yet Holdenried credits it for “open[ing his] eyes” and encouraging him to be more flexible in the pursuit of his craft. “Napa Valley is still the new frontier in winemaking. Even today, we grow vineyards where no one has grown before. That still encapsulates, to me, innovation,” he adds. “We’re still evolving, and I see that in myself. I certainly make wines very differently today than I did ten, 15 years ago in Napa because the culture of improving things, I feel, is much stronger in Napa [than in Germany].” True to its name, the Transcendent Wines division has carefully designed its collection to include wines that transcend the ordinary. Each of the wineries featured represents the best of its respective category and speaks clearly to its place of origin, from the complex soils at Schloss Vollrads, Germany’s oldest wine estate, to the supercentenarian Shiraz vines that star in Torbreck’s RunRig bottlings.

46 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 my mind was to keep a hands-off approach. So I’m very traditional in terms of vinification,” explains Labbé. Al- though farming practices have changed over the years, perhaps most notably through the decision to eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides starting in 2015, the winemaking approach has been consistent. Grapes are hand harvested, batches are kept small, and fermentation is carried out by native yeast; extraction, meanwhile, is ag- gressive at the beginning when there’s no alcohol present and gentle when there is. “I think this is how Casa Real has been made since the first vintage in 1989,” says Labbé. “When we do a vertical tasting in ten years, it would be

ideal for me not to see the change in WINES FAMILY OF DELICATO COURTESY PHOTO hands in terms of who’s in charge.” Casa Real is made only in top vin- Torbreck Vintners works with many of the oldest Shiraz tages, and several have been skipped vineyards in the world, dating as far back as 1856. over the past decade, including the 2016. But the 2017 Casa Real Estate BAROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA: Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon ($150), the first vintage crafted by Labbé, is nothing short of sublime. The first whiff OLD WORLD SHIRAZ VINES IN THE NEW WORLD is seductive, offering savory notes of Barossa Valley is home to the oldest producing Shiraz vineyards in the world. These aged leather and PHOTO: JEREMY BALL own-rooted relics were planted in the mid-1800s and yield clusters whose looser volcanic rock on bunches, which take longer to mature, distinguish them from their modern counter- a foundation of parts. Torbreck Vintners has positioned itself as an old-vine collector by contracting cassis that’s pres- with the growers that maintain a large percentage of these historic sites in addition to ent without being farming many of them itself. Among those it oversees, six established between 1856 overt. Fine tannins and 1901 form the foundation of its old-vine program. “What age does is it brings frame briary fla- an X-factor—it brings in texture and elements that we think give the wine incredible vors, while waves longevity,” says winemaker Ian Hongell. of anise and cedar The RunRig Shiraz is a reflection of those six sites, whose fruit is harvested, vinified, linger long after and matured separately for roughly 30 months. Then the best barrels are assembled each sip. to make the final wine. “Each site has a very distinct personality in terms of what it brings to the blend,” says Hongell, noting that these vineyards ripen six to eight weeks apart due to differences in elevation, soil, climate, and rainfall, resulting in very different profiles. “Whether it is the elegant spice from the north with fine tannins, the robust licorice [and] dark-coffee notes from the center of the valley, or the plumminess of [the fruit from] the south, each brings an attribute that makes the wine complete.” Hongell started at Torbreck in 2016 after working with Barossa legend Peter Lehmann for nearly two decades. The move gave him the chance to partner with his father, a longtime vintner and grower for the brand, and

pursue a style of winemaking he was passionate about. “It gave PHOTO: JEREMY BALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES me a chance to find great boundaries in winemaking and have a very close association with the wines to be able to experi- ment,” says Hongell, noting that he and his colleagues are constantly striving to push the boundaries of their craft. Santa Rita’s Alto Jahuel The 2017 RunRig Shiraz ($225) reflects the cooler condi- Vineyard is situated at the tions of its vintage, which resulted in higher natural acidity and foothills of the Andes Mountains bright aromatics. It’s dark and brooding, with an aromatic tap- in Maipo Valley, Chile. estry of toasted hazelnuts, roasted coffee, and faint undertones of sage; the palate is dense with savory layers of allspice, shoyu, and black plum framed by super-fine cacao-nib tannins.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 47 GERMANY: from the seeds. PHOTO: JEREMY BALL The result is a wine 27 GENERATIONS OF FAMILY WINEGROWING HISTORY with lively, palpable texture; aromas IN THE RHEINGAU of honeysuckle, petrol, and lemon Schloss Vollrads is synonymous with Ger- year. Hepp attributes the distinctive profile peel; and off-dry man wine history. As one of the world’s of the wines to the soil: While drilling a flavors of tangerine oldest wineries still in operation, it also new well in 1998, he and his team found that are offset by possesses the earliest documentation of a that the roots of their vines—which aver- sprightly acid. wine bill, notarized in 1211. In addition, it aged 35 years of age—reached 18 meters The Transcendent was the first to designate its wines based deep. Hepp saved the drilling cores, which Wines portfolio also includes the 2018 on quality tiers, coining the term “Kabinett” revealed six unique layers of rock perme- Ayler Kupp Kabinett Riesling ($34) from in 1716 and thereby informing buyers that ated by the vine roots: a top layer of loess Bischöfliche Weingüter Trier, which farms its best wines were kept in a separate cellar. followed by gravel, calcareous soil, red 200 acres of ancient vineyards on the “It’s such a unique feeling to continue a slate, black slate, and quartz. Although he steep blue-slate slopes of the Mosel River. line of winemakers who were running such admits there is no scientific proof of what This single-vineyard wine offers expressive a place for hundreds of years,” says wine- these minerals contribute to the wine, he notes of pear, jasmine, and fleshy honey- maker emeritus and senior global brand believes varieties with a long hang time like dew, which are lifted by acidity before the ambassador Dr. Rowald Hepp, adding that Riesling must be affected. “Riesling always tingly, lemon-tea finish. The Franz Keller

being there for even a fraction of that his- looks for cool climate and complex soils, 2018 vom Löss PHOTO: JEREMY BALL tory is a “priceless” opportunity. Hepp was which offer a wide range of minerality,” Pinot Noir ($38), close friends with the late Count Erwein, says Hepp. “For elegant, racy Rieslings, you meanwhile, hails the last of the Grieffenclau clan, 27 genera- need different minerals. It doesn’t matter if from a benchmark tions of which had owned the winery for you have just one, you need to have all in estate in Baden; nearly a millennium; following his death, a good balance in your soils; otherwise you situated in the Hepp took on the role as winemaker in never find the best expression for Riesling.” region’s sunny vol- 1997 and has stayed ever since. The grapes in the Schloss Vollrads canic hills, it helped The Rheingau-based producer focuses 2018 Kabinett Riesling ($35) were de- establish Baden’s exclusively on Riesling, crafting ten to 15 stemmed and sorted before they under- reputation for expressions of the varietal in any given went three days of cold maceration prior world-class wines to fermentation with native yeast. “If we made from Bur- give our grapes the chance to have [skin] gundian grapes. This expression offers an contact with the juice, then the enzymes in intriguing interplay of bright red fruit and the berries crack the cells of the skins and earth, with a nose that suggests cranberry, extract more flavor,” explains Hepp, noting mushroom, and wet black stone; a flow of that this can only be done if the grapes are bright red cherry on the palate is framed fully ripe or bitterness will be extracted by a whisper of oak and firm structure.

This original document notes the sale of three casks of wine on November 18, 1211. PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES FAMILY OF DELICATO COURTESY PHOTO PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES

Schloss Vollrads’ estate and castle were owned by the same family for 27 generations.

48 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Larry McKenna, known as the “Godfather of New Zealand Pinot Noir,” performs a punchdown in a fermentation bin.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DELICATO FAMILY WINES FAMILY OF DELICATO COURTESY PHOTO SINGLE-VINEYARD PINOT NOIRS OF OREGON PHOTO: JEREMY BALL

Rounding out the Transcendent Wines portfolio are Willamette Val- ley Pinot Noirs from Dobbes Family Estate in Oregon, which serves as a domestic contrast to Escarpment in Martinborough and Franz Keller in Baden.

MARTINBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND: Dobbes Family Estate 2018 Grand Assemblage Pinot Noir THE GODFATHER OF ESCARPMENT ($30) This multivineyard blend Winemaker Larry McKenna has built a reputation for producing many of New captures a snapshot of the 2018 Zealand’s finest Pinot Noirs. When he moved to Martinborough in 1986, he vintage in the Willamette Valley. believed the district to be ideally suited to high-end expressions of the grape, Rose hips and red cherry lead on given that its cool maritime climate, ocean breezes, dry summers, and free-draining the nose and palate with flavors alluvial soils all make for excellent growing conditions for Burgundian varieties. of raspberry and mulling spices Since Escarpment’s founding in 1999, McKenna has crafted its winemaking style matched by well-balanced acidity. to showcase the beauty of Martinborough Pinot Noir and ensure its rightful place on the global stage. The winery and its sustainably farmed vineyards are located Dobbes Family Estate 2017 along a large ridge above the Huangarua River on ancient gravelly terraces. Its flag- Patricia’s Cuvée Pinot Noir ($50) ship single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Kupe, is named for the Polynesian voyager who first Named in honor of the founder’s discovered New Zealand and hails from a high-density 4.5-acre planting whose wife, Patricia, this cuvée is a full- character stems primarily from the Abel Pinot Noir clone—originally thought to bodied Pinot Noir crafted from have been propagated from cuttings taken from Bur- four vineyard sites and matured in gundy’s Domaine de la Romanée Conti estate. a significant portion of new French The 2018 Kupe Single Vineyard Pinot Noir ($95) is a oak (40%). Dark black cherry and delicate mélange of cut sage and red cherry with a touch ripe blueberry shine with notes of of sandalwood, yet its mouthfeel is robust, with layers of sweet tobacco leaf and boysenberry PHOTO: JEREMY BALL PHOTO: depth that peel away to reveal a core of pomegranate. pie. The wine possesses an opulent With prickly red fruit, roobios-tea tannins, and endless mouthfeel, soft tannins, and ample length, it’s a true expression of New World Pinot Noir acidity that adds considerable length that’s crafted in accordance with classical winemaking tra- on the finish. ditions like fermentation with native yeasts and traditional punchdowns.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 49 letter

{ } PHOTOS: CAITLIN BEYER PHOTOGRAPHY

Among the many soil types found in Lodi are the Jahant AVA’s shallow, pinkish sandy clay loam with root- restrictive layers and Sloughhouse’s mix of low-vigor reddish sand, silt, and volcanic gravelly loam.

The Lowdown on Lodi

AN ONLINE MASTERCLASS PROVES THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE by Kimberly Norris

BEFORE TAKING THE Lodi Winegrape Commission Masterclass with well-known author Elaine Chukan Brown last fall, I knew very little about Lodi—the region, its history, or its wines. At a time when travel is limited, I feel very lucky to have had this virtual experience. PHOTO: ERIN NORRIS PHOTO: I had applied through SommFoundation to attend a four-day field trip to Lodi during the 2020 harvest; it was canceled due to the pandemic, but to my surprise and delight, I PHOTO: STEPHANIE RUSSO PHOTOGRAPHY was selected to participate in an online alternative. Shortly after I was notified, I received two boxes in the mail. The first contained soil samples from the region’s seven AVAs; the color and textural differences between them clearly illustrated the distinctiveness of each subzone. The second box, containing 12 bottles of Lodi wine, was a real treat, and it was all I could do to not prematurely dive into a personal tasting. The Masterclass was divided into two two-hour sessions in which Brown was joined by Lodi-based winemakers and growers. When they spoke about their vineyards, you could feel their passion for and commitment to LODI RULES for Sustainable Winegrow-

Author Kimberly Norris is Mustard grows as a cover crop in Lodi’s Mokelumne River AVA. general manager of Barnoa Wine Bar & Bistro in San Clemente, CA.

50 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRILMARCH/APRIL 20202121 IMAGE COURTESY OF THE LODI WINEGRAPE COMMISSION

A map of the vineyards featured in the Lodi Winegrape Commission Masterclass was sent to attendees in advance, along with the wines they yielded.

ing, created in 1990. Truly exceptional as munity engagement and employee educa- saw a picture of growers Louis and Phil California’s original sustainable-viticulture tion. The strong growth of this remarkably Abba, whose 76 years of farming experi- program, it focuses on not only the healthy progressive community was evident even ence testify to the commitment of the farming practices that result in wonderful in an online seminar: I felt as though I local community to their work. Then there grapes and glorious wines but also com- were in Lodi for a couple of hours each was the Precedent Mule Plane Vineyard morning, listening to exhilarating stories— Carignan, a variety commonly used by including one about a parachutist who sur- home winemakers during Prohibition. I vived an emergency landing in the region’s really enjoyed the different varietals we sandy soils. tasted, from the Bokisch Vineyards Verdejo I was familiar with only a couple of to the Oak Farm Albariño to the Klinker the bottles prior to the class, but when I Brick Grenache Blanc, which undergoes a opened the Turley Kirschenmann Vineyard long soak to bring out the fruit. I discov- Zinfandel, it was like visiting an old friend. ered that the grapes for the Michael David It’s such a beautiful wine that never disap- Cinsaut came from ungrafted, own-rooted PHOTO: STEPHANIE RUSSO PHOTOGRAPHY RUSSO STEPHANIE PHOTO: points with its richness of dark plum, nice vines planted way back in 1886. I was tannin structure, and long finish. The class surprised to learn about the plethora of sampled three other Zinfandels as well to wineries in Lodi and the diversity of their explore how all the producers have their products, and I’ve decided this will be the own style—from lighter, Pinot Noir–like first region I visit when the world opens expressions to heavier ones reminiscent up again. of Saint-Émilion. We learned how they In fact, this enrichment class has inspired were grown, picked, and made as well as me to travel and learn much more as of the handshake deals many growers and soon as possible. The opportunities and winemakers rely on instead of contracts, educational experiences that SommFoun- showing the mutual trust fostered here. dation provides to industry members Grower Jeff Perlegos sifts Kingdom and Tasting with the producers was ex- are priceless, and the tools it offers Tokay fine sandy loams in the Stampede tremely educating and eye-opening. While can enhance your career and further Zinfandel Vineyard, planted in 1928 in Lodi’s trying the McCay Cellars Grenache, with your passion for wine, keeping the Clements Hills AVA. its pretty red fruit and dried herbs, we subject exciting and fresh.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 51 Geographical{ real somm stories }DIGEST Top-Tier Wines from the BOTTOM WORLDof the RECAPPING THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIGEST “SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE” WEBINAR IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOMMCON AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

by Jessie Birschbach

52 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRILMARCH/APRIL 20202121 n my opinion, the concept of Southern Hemisphere versus Northern Hemi- sphere wine can be as hard to define as I that of the Old versus the New World. Indeed, when our most recent Geographical Digest webinar set out to provide an overarching review, we examined each producer WINE ESTATES TREASURY OF COURTESY PHOTOS case by case and found notable differences among them—even those located within the same subregions. Sure, there are some commonalties to be found among wines grown in the South- ern Hemisphere. On the whole, this part of the globe receives more UV radiation yet is actually cooler than the Northern A view from the Hemisphere. Also, because the seasons vineyards: Penfolds’ are reversed, harvest typically occurs from historic Magill Estate February to as late as May. Yet as moderator building. Lars Leicht, The SOMM Journal’s VP of Educa- tion, discovered when he asked our present- ers about their 2020 harvest, variations exist even on that score. WINE: Penfolds 2018 Bin 389 You can find much more detail on the Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz ($80) subject in The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclope- PRESENTER: Tim Irwin, regional general manager at Penfolds dia, our partner in the Geographical Digest LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 34 degrees south, 138 degrees east series along with National Geographic and SommCon. But first, read on to learn more Most wine professionals are familiar with Penfolds’ 176-year-old origin story, about each of the handpicked producers we in which the good doctor Christopher Penfold prescribed his Tawnies and met from the bottom half of our world. fortified wines to ill patients. Still, a black-and-white image of the Adelaide, Australia–based winery’s historic Magill Estate being built by horse and cart helped our knowledgeable webinar audience to appreciate its heritage all over again. And when they were reminded of the tenacity and ambition of Max Schubert—the winemaker responsible for creating the world- renowned Grange label in the 1950s—it no doubt reaffirmed their faith in Penfolds’ signature style: ageworthy wines born of innovation and blending. If Grange represents the bright- est star of the Penfolds portfolio, Bin 389 is certainly within the same mighty constellation. Celebrat- ing its 60th year of production in 2020, Bin 389 is referred to as “Baby Grange” because it ages in American oak barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. The combination of “predominantly Max Schubert, the winemaker who Cabernet Sauvignon with Shiraz,” created Penfolds' world-renowned according to Penfolds regional Grange label in the 1950s. general manager Tim Irwin, is also like Grange in that it’s a multire- gional blend, sustainably sourced across the Coonawarra and Barossa Valley regions; Irwin attributed the wine’s structure to this geographical diversity. The sturdy framework of Bin 389 reflects its ageability—such a large part of Penfolds’ culture that the company provides a “rewards of patience” recorking service, as its wines typically outlast their corks. Irwin suggested that the 2018 Bin 389 would still be drinking well up to 2050.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 53 WINES: Argento 2018 Finca Altamira Malbec ($30), 2018 Finca Agrelo Cabernet Franc ($30), and 2018 Finca Agrelo Malbec ($30) PRESENTER: Juan Pablo Murgia, winemaker at Bodega Argento LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 33 degrees south, 68 degrees west “This is a journey of intention for soil health and fruit purity,” said Bodega Argento chief winemaker Juan Pablo Murgia, who added that the best way to reach the destination is through sustainable and organic farming. “Today, all of our wines are certified sustainable, and we are releasing a new collection of wines that are also certified organic. This is an exciting time for us, and we are very proud to be one of the largest organic producers in Argentina.” The winery was established in 1998 in Cruz de Piedra in central Mendoza’s Maipú subzone with the help of renowned enologist Alberto Antonini and international vineyard consul- tant Pedro Parra, who worked to develop its Argento 2018 Finca Altamira vineyard sites throughout the region. Its holdings Malbec, Mendoza, Argen- consist of five vineyards totaling 450 hectares: Finca Altamira in the Uco Valley and Finca tina Plush and elegant, with Alto Agrelo, Finca Ugarteche, and Finca Carrizal in Luján de Cuyo as well as the Maipú meaty notes that accompany property. It was in 2012 that Bodega Argento began its organic conversion program; it’s violets, licorice, and blackberry certified as such by Agencert as well as certified sustainable by Bodegas de Argentina. preserves. Mulberry-washed Finca Alto Agrelo is the largest vineyard at around 232 hectares, which range from 3,215 to cedar is spiced with vanilla and 3,540 feet in elevation. One of the pillars of Bodega Argento’s organic viticultural program is cinnamon. 93 soil-health analysis, which it has conducted for Alto Agrelo as well as Altamira. Murgia shared PACIFIC HIGHWAY WINES an aerial shot of Agrelo overlaid with an electroconductivity analysis; the image appeared as a & SPIRITS tie-dyed pattern of green, yellow, and blue across dozens of vineyard blocks, peppered in red and white squares representing the different soil profiles identified by the team. These help them to determine the optimal rootstock, variety, and irrigation regimen for each block. To showcase these efforts, Murgia presented a trio of expressions from Bodega Argento’s new Single Vineyard series, representing both Finca Agrelo and Finca Altamira. “We believe that organic is the best way to express the terroir, and this journey will continue,” reiterated

Murgia; indeed, the winery’s Estate ($11) and Reserva ($15) ranges—both widely available PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARGENTO in the U.S.—now denote on their labels that they're certified organic, sustainable, and vegan. Argento’s Agrelo Vineyard ranges in elevation from 3,215 to 3,540 feet.

54 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRILMARCH/APRIL 20202121 PHOTOS: FEDERICO GARCIA BETANCUR FEDERICO GARCIA PHOTOS:

WINES: Bodega Norton 2016 Privada Family Blend ($26) and 2018 Reserva Malbec ($19), Mendoza PRESENTER: David Bonomi, winemaker at Bodega Norton LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 33 degrees south, 68 degrees west

Named for British engineer Edmund James located at just over 3,600 feet. Compared eration winemaker, presenting the Bodega Palmer Norton, who planted the estate to regions such as Australia’s Barossa Valley, Norton Reserva Malbec as the portfolio’s in 1895, Bodega Norton has been owned Napa Valley, and Burgundy, Bonomi noted, “most important” version. The native by Gernot Langes-Swarovski (of jewelry- Mendoza not only enjoys the highest Argentine also presented the Bodega industry fame) since 1989; Swarovski’s son, altitude but the lowest amount of annual Norton Privada Family Blend, a combina- Michael Halstrick, serves as its president rainfall at 9 inches, decreasing disease pres- tion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and and CEO. Winemaker David Bonomi sure. (Interestingly, despite the overall des- Merlot that was originally made just for claims that it is the largest winery in Men- ert climate, Bodega Norton relies mainly the founding family; as he told the audi- doza—quite a feat considering that the on drip irrigation via the meltwater of the ence, “Our heart is our Malbec. Our mind region produces around 75% of Argen- Andes.) It’s worth noting too that unlike is our Privada.” tina’s wine. these renowned areas, most of the vines in Bonomi and his team create 60 expres- Mendoza—and Argentina as a whole—are Bodega Norton 2018 Reserva Malbec, sions from five different estates totaling grown on their own rootstock. Mendoza A big-bodied, silky red with 2,000 acres in the Luján de Cuyo and Uco Bonomi feels that high altitude is a brooding side. Concentration of rich, Valley subregions of Mendoza. The lowest- paramount to producing the best, most meaty notes with dark chocolate and elevation property, Medrano, rests at al- aromatic Malbec. “The variety is the key blackberry preserves. Elegant yet plush—a most 3,000 feet; the highest, La Colonia, is that opens the terroir,” said the third-gen- fantastic steak wine. 92

The entrance to Bodega Norton’s winery in Mendoza.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 55 WINE: Viñas Queirolo Intipalka 2018 Gran Reserva No° 1, Ica Valley, Peru ($50) PRESENTER: Luis Gomez, winemaker at Viñas Queirolo Intipalka 2018 Gran Reserva N° 1, Ica Valley, LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 13 degrees south, 75 degrees west Peru A showpiece blend of 55% Malbec and 45% At the end of Viñas Queirolo’s presentation, Leicht Tannat sourced from made the telling observation that “[its] vineyards high-elevation desert look like an oasis in the desert.” He was referring vineyards that influence to the producer’s Ica Valley Vineyard, planted 500 its concentration. Aromas meters above sea level about 37 miles from the of cherry, coffee, and Peruvian coast. An aerial view of this 600-hect- terroir come through. are mountain-desert property validated Leicht’s Acidity is augmented by remark: Resembling a pixelated oval straddling the flavor of sour cherry PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIÑAS QUEIROLO VIÑAS OF COURTESY PHOTOS the Ica River, it’s the only green for miles around, while earthy notes of soy surrounded by a hilly dune system. Combined with sauce, mulberry, beetroot, the output from its other vineyard in the Cañete and blackberry are deep Valley—encompassing roughly 100 hectares, it’s and inviting. It’s luxury the source for the Santiago Queriolo brand—Vi- unleashed. 95 ñas Queirolo is able to produce more than 10 million bottles a year, an extraordinary feat consider- Intipalka 2019 Char- ing its humble beginnings. donnay, Ica Valley, Peru A few years after leaving Genoa, Italy, to settle ($14) From Viñas Quei- in Lima, the Queirolo family established Viñas Queirolo in 1880, selling their wines and rolo’s Ica Valley vineyards pisco in their namesake tavern in the district of Pueblo Libre. Following nearly a century 1,500 feet above sea and a half of expansion, acquisition, and, more recently, renovation, the winery is run level, this seductive white today by the third generation of the family, along with winemaker Luis Gomez and fellow greets the nose with Argentine viticulturalist Alejandro Sejanovich. vanilla and chamomile. Its Where the mountain plots on Viñas Queirolo’s endlessly sunny Ica Valley property round, leesy body shows provide a rocky and calcareous home for Tannat, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and butterscotch and tropical Sauvignon Blanc, the flatter valley sites offer plusher digs of sand, limestone, and clay for fruit. 92 the Malbec, Tannat, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc vines grown there. Placing them within geographical context, Gomez explained, “There are two main Peru- vian geographic characters. The first is the Andes Mountains, which stops the rain formed Intipalka 2019 Malbec, in the rainforest in the east from heading west. The second and more important is the Ica Valley, Peru ($14) current of the Pacific Ocean. The Humboldt Current takes the cold water and raises it Juicy with spiced cran- to the surface,” cooling the air in a way that prevents precipitation and creates southern berry and black cherry. Peru’s arid climate. “Remember,” he added, “the climate of Peru should be tropical, but Underbrush and coffee where our vineyards are, especially in the Ica Valley, it’s the opposite.” tannins add depth. Plum To showcase this uncommon terroir, Gomez presented the Viñas Queirolo Intipalka and slate meet midway, N° 1. The flagship blend features 55% Malbec and 45% Tannat—the two grape joining sensations of varieties that Gomez believes “make the best wines in the [Ica] Valley.” earth and leather. 92

Viña Queirolo’s oasis-like vineyards within the Ica Valley.

56 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 WINE: Reyneke 2016 Syrah, Stellenbosch ($29) the estate is Demeter certified as well as PRESENTER: Johan Reyneke, owner/winemaker at Reyneke Wines certified organic and sustainable through a number of international programs such LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 33 degrees south, 13 degrees west as Ceres and the Integrated Production of Wine. Serving as proof of these endeavors African native explained. “I sucked at it. I were pictures of smiling farmers wearing fell in love with philosophy. I got a degree T-shirts reading “Vine Hugger” and long- in environmental ethics, focusing particu- lashed cows peeking through a row of larly on environment and development. Cabernet Sauvignon vines. I fell in love with a girl in Pasadena and The resulting wines, made with minimal spent a year in California, following the intervention, are vibrant in character. Sip- PHOTOS COURTESY OF REYNEKE COURTESY PHOTOS love of my life, who I ended up marry- ping on his perfumed and savory Syrah, ing. But when I came back, I had to find a Reyneke described his property’s granitic job.” Thanks to his love for the outdoors soils and relatively cool climate thanks to and his willingness to work his way up, he the sea breezes it enjoys. He then left the found a position as a farm laborer—and audience with one of his favorite quotes it was this experience that, along with his from the book Life of Pi: “There can be no educational background, helped to shape greatness without goodness.” the environmental and cultural integrity of his winery. Reyneke 2016 Syrah, Perhaps the fact that he’s a kind man Stellenbosch, South who has witnessed the lasting damage of Africa Made with organic apartheid also plays a role. Thanks to his grapes, this dense, tannic Cornerstone Project, all permanent em- red has a yin-yang pattern ployees are provided with not only fair pay of dominant savory and but also housing, benefits, and educational lighthearted floral tones. “I’m not a trained viticulturist or enologist opportunities, with the long-term goal of Notes of licorice and or anything like that. My story is a funny ensuring their financial independence. granite reflect the vineyard one,” said Johan Reyneke, owner/winemak- Acquiring a property established in soil as black pepper comes er at Stellenbosch’s Reyneke Wines. And he 1893, Reyneke converted it to organics through with grace. 93 was right. But it’s also incredibly inspiring. in 1992 and bottled his first wine in 1998. VINEYARD BRANDS “I started by studying law,” the South As South Africa’s first Biodynamic winery,

{ SOMMjournal.com } 57 PHOTO: RICHARD BRIMER WINE: Craggy Range 2020 Te Muna Road Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough ($23) PRESENTER: Julian Grounds, chief winemaker at Craggy Range An autumnal aerial view of the Gimblett LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 41 degrees south, 175 degrees east Gravels Vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAGGY RANGE As avid wine enthusiasts, the Peabody family set out to make a world-class wine that would speak to its place of origin—even if that wasn’t their own homeland of Australia. Indeed, after exploring not only the land down under but also France and the United States, the Peabodys fell in love with New Zealand—specifically two distinct pieces of untouched land on the North Island introduced to them by local viticulturist Steve Smith. In 1998, Craggy Range was born with one vineyard each in the Hawke’s Bay and Martinborough regions. But what was so special about these sites? Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, the winery’s 250-hectare slice of the Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district in Hawke’s Bay, is part of a 323-hectare swath that, 6 million years ago, was covered by the Ngaruroro River but today is a mosaic of river stones, silt, and gravel. “Geologically, New Zealand is very young, probably the youngest as a viticultural country,” said Craggy Range’s chief winemaker, Julian Grounds. “So these soils are still changing and merging.” The Peabodys feel strongly that their youthfulness lends freshness and purity to the Syrah and Bordeaux grapes planted here, which “aren’t traditionally varieties achieving a level of ripeness and intensity outside of [the] warmer, classic regions” they’re typically grown in, Grounds explained. “Hawke’s Bay is sunny but not hot or warm; [it’s] more moderate, [so] for us it’s these gravels that are key because of the refraction of heat, the retention of heat—[distributing it] throughout the canopy but also [stimulating] root growth. Also, any rain quickly drains through these soils and we end up with very low- yielding vines.” Craggy Range’s Te Muna Road Vineyard in Martinborough sits on even younger soils at 30,000 years old. Their porousness provides abundant oxygen and makes for happy vines, according to Grounds. Displaying a striking image of a softball-sized, cross-sec- tioned sandstone covered in green volcanic ash, he noted finding roots in it to under- score the mineral interplay between plant and soil. The vines don’t get too comfortable, though. Grounds noted that because New Zealand lacks significant landmass to serve as a shield, it’s vulnerable to weather systems; in the case of Te Muna Road, which is located on the North Island’s southern coast, it’s exposed to Arctic winds that make it the perfect site for cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, which reflect the fresh, aromatic, mineral-driven style of Craggy Range.

Craggy Range 2017 Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir, Martinbor- ough, New Zealand ($50) Grapes from the higher of the vineyard’s two terraces are fermented with indigenous yeast to produce this wine, whose notes of candied watermelon and raspberry play out with searing acidity. A gossamer of cherry, beetroot, red tea, and cocoa creates a delicious elegance. 94 KOBRAND

58 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Additional Tasting Notes

ARGENTINA Eccentric 2020 Chardonnay, Mendoza, Argentina ($10) Weighty, ripe, and lush with mango PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIÑA SANTA RITA VIÑA SANTA OF COURTESY PHOTOS and vanilla wafer. The rich and oak- centric palate leads to a caramel finish. 90 GRUPO PEÑAFLOR

Finca Flichman 2018 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina ($15) Striking notes of licorice bathed in dark chocolate, blueberry, tar, dried flowers, and WINE: Viña Santa Rita 2017 Casa Real tobacco. Savory but gentle in the mouth and noteworthy for the price. 91 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alto Jahuel, Maipo SOGRAPE/EVATON Valley ($150) PRESENTER: Sebastián Labbé, winemaker, Mascota Vineyards 2018 ultra-premium range, at Viña Santa Rita Unánime Merlot, Mendoza, Ar- LATITUDE/LONGITUDE: 33 degrees south, gentina ($23) This 100% Merlot 70 degrees west sourced from Uco Valley vineyards in Gualtallary, Tunpungato, is a lush, The history of Viña Santa Rita starts in 1880 with a few European magnanimous red overflowing with cuttings—among the first in Chile—but for the purposes of our we- blackberry and plum. Notes of binar, the date to remember was 1989: the first vintage of the iconic dark chocolate, black pepper, and Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon Casa Real. cigar leaf set a savory tone. Prime One of Chile’s best-known producers, Viña Santa Rita (see also acidity keeps this impressive wine page 46) farms 3,000 hectares of vines in Alto Jahuel, a subregion tasting fresh through the lengthy of the Maipo Valley. But one particular block of Cabernet Sauvignon finish. Aged in French oak for 12 months. 93 on this large estate has consistently MASCOTA VINEYARDS produced wines of “a very defined character, with higher aromatics and very nice structure,” said winemaker Sebastián Labbé, who oversees Viña CHILE Santa Rita’s ultra-premium range. “And Château Los Boldos 2020 Grande Reserve this is basically how Casa Real started.” Sauvignon Blanc, Cachapoal Andes, Chile Produced only in exceptional ($21) Staggering notes of clean, fresh-squeezed years—you won’t find an ’00, ’06, grapefruit. Dots of tarragon, a thread of mineral- or ’16 vintage—Casa Real is sourced from what is now called the ity, and floral tones weave through the bright Carneros Viejo Vineyard, whose 29 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. 92 include some 50-year-old vines. Labbé believes the vineyard’s well- drained soils are a suitable home for the grape: “The alluvial terraces Château Los Boldos 2019 Grande Reserve of Maipo Valley achieve an even ripening and a character that’s very Merlot, Cachapoal Andes, Chile ($21) Chewy unique,” he said. Thanks to the cold masses of air coming down from tannins meet ripe black cherry and raspberry. the Andes Mountains, diurnal temperature swings help to cool down Espresso and earth show up midway, while slate the site, contributing what he described as the “little cedary notes” joins spiced toast on the finish. 90 that he finds to be common in Alto Jahuel wines. Combined with “traditional winemaking” practices, Labbé added, Château Los Boldos 2019 Vieilles Vignes these conditions produce a “Cabernet Sauvignon that is robust [and] Syrah, Cachapoal Andes, Chile ($15) Aged 12 intense, with sweet tannins and great aging potential.” months in French oak, this wine offers aromas TRANSCENDENT WINES and flavors of spiced coffee, blackberry, and slate. It continues to develop with an earthiness sweetened by black licorice and soy sauce. 91

{ SOMMjournal.com } 59 Ranch 45’s beef stew is the ultimate winter comfort. PHOTOS: NOUSHIN NOURIZADEH Savoring the

Season, Pam Schwartz is general manager and sommelier at Ranch 45 in Solana Seaside Style Beach, CA.

RANCH 45’S BRANDT BEEF STEW KEEPS A COASTAL COMMUNITY COMFORTED by Michelle M. Metter

UNDER A MILE AWAY from the Pacific orders to bring comfort when people is named for Alexander the Great—the Ocean in Solana Beach, California, is Ranch need it most. original Macedon—and hails from an area 45, a restaurant and butcher shop that For the hearty dish, Aron starts with noted as the ‘crossroads of the ancient sources its meat exclusively from Brawley, chunks of Brandt New York strip and world and the birthplace of wine.’ It origi- California–based Brandt Beef. For passers- tenderloin, searing the meat to a golden nates in Gradsko, [which shares] the same by, the aromas of its Brandt beef stew are brown; he then adds potatoes from nearby latitude as Burgundy and the Russian River irresistible, drawing them off of the streets Chino Farm as well as carrots, celery, and Valley. The 40-plus-year-old vines grow to warm them on cool nights. onions. (Daily visits to the farm were part where two major weather fronts collide The recipe comes courtesy of cel- of the chef’s pre-pandemic routine, as the . . . yielding virtually no rain and consis- ebrated local chef Aron Schwartz, who has Chino family is known for growing some tent wind. The result is a wine of terrific been lending his skills to the kitchen while of the highest-quality produce in Southern elegance and complexity [that’s] rich yet on furlough from his high-profile post as California.) The ingredients then simmer in linear—pretty, but with depth and power. executive chef at the Marriott Marquis rich, unctuous Brandt beef stock for several I chose this wine because of the depth in San Diego Marina. His wife, Pam Schwartz, hours to develop the stew’s flavors, proving body and flavor. The unique terroir and serves as general manager and sommelier that good things are worth waiting for. dark fruit complement the richness of at Ranch 45, which has continued to serve Pam suggests pairing the dish the dish.” the community throughout the pandemic, with Macedon 2017 Pinot Noir. “From the Read on for additional pairing recommen- adapting through several stay-at-home country of Macedonia, this stunning Pinot dations from a skilled group of sommeliers.

60 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Garland McClure Sommelier, The Forest Club, Houston, TX

PHOTO: ANDY RYAN ANDY PHOTO: The Domaine Denis

PHOTO: IRIS RODRIGUEZ IRIS RODRIGUEZ PHOTO: Bachelet 2017 Gevrey- Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is an inviting combination of sweetness derived from both dark fruits and delicate touches of oak. Although still young, [the wine features] a pure bouquet of dark cherries, plums, cassis, and violets. Distinct earth scents, smoke, and minerality lead into a rich medium weight with supple touches of Ali Yakich spice. A dish of this nature screams for a slightly fruity Wine and beverage director, red with a rich, earthy intensity [that isn’t] overbear- Flagstaff House Restaurant, Boulder, CO ing. A classic chilly-night beef stew paired with a classic The Belle Pente 2017 Gamay Noir from the Willa- Gevrey-Chambertin. mette Valley is such a special, big, spice-driven Gamay. Belle Pente practices organic and Biodynamic viticulture with its three-level gravity-flow facility. The name means “beautiful slope,” [referring to the property] José Carlos in Yamhill-Carlton, which inspires [owner] Brian Delgado O’Donnell to draw inspiration from Old World wine- Sommelier, Mourad, San growing traditions. I think the terroir leads this Gamay Francisco, CA to be the perfect pairing with beef stew. The vines The Domaine Dumien- were planted in 1994 and the winery has celebrated Serrette 2017 Patou the difference in its estate Pinot Noir versus [its] [hails from] a roughly Gamay Noir ever since. It has such a warming spice on 3-hectare vineyard plant- the palate, finishing with medium tannin and dark fruits; ed in the early 1920s in slightly rustic cedar notes complement the rich beef the village of Les Savaux and aromatics. in the Northern Rhône’s Cornas AOC. Since 1515, the family has lived off the fruits of their labors in Cornas, and in the 1930s they purchased the Patou vineyard and got into grape production. Paul Solomon Jumping to 1983, current family [proprietor] Nicho- Beverage director and las Serrette decided to take the leap and craft his own restaurant manager, wine instead of selling to famous producers in the Chicago Firehouse Restau- area. He’s of the old guard—a vigneron of traditional rant, Chicago, IL

PHOTO: ASHLEY ASHLEY LEMERE PHOTO: practices like using whole clusters crushed by foot, [An] impressive project concrete-vat fermentations, [and] long aging in very spearheaded by Michel old oak barrels, to name just a few. This 100% Syrah Rolland, Clos de los Siete expresses flavors and aromas of dark cherry, pome- [is] a Malbec blend that granate, and violets, with a dusting of meaty smoked is both an ode to the paprika and olive tapenade [that] is braised beef’s best respected region of Mendoza in Argentina . . . [and] a friend. It is a pairing of like characteristics, express- tribute to the producer’s native Bordeaux. The 2017 ing delicate savoriness yet being rich in textures and vintage is complex and balanced, with a creamy mouth- length. One will never outshine the other; even the feel. The palate is full yet elegant, with dark berry fruit, unctuousness of the braising liquid would be tamed by dark chocolate, velvety tannins, and fresh acidity [that] the wine’s gripping but fine-grained tannins and bright cuts the richness; the integrated tannins complement acidity, while the delicate nature of the wine itself won’t the luscious dish. overpower the delicate cuts of [meat].

Michelle M. Metter is a San Diego–based writer, publicist, and event producer. To be considered for an upcoming Pairing Up column, contact her at [email protected].

{ SOMMjournal.com } 61 { somm spotlight } Cellar Raiding the CELLAR SANDRA TAYLOR DISHES ON HER NEW ROLE AS TEAM SOMMELIER FOR THE LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Sandra Taylor is head sommelier at the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium.

62 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 story by Allyson Reedy Vegas to conduct VIP experiences seemed wine list, tailoring collections for each photo by Mona Shield Payne like a no-brainer. individual suite, and hosting the tastings, Besides her wine expertise, Taylor is an Taylor also wants to build a standout cellar excellent speaker and presenter, as evi- of special off-list and reserve bottlings. This When the Las Vegas Raiders’ state-of-the- denced by her other occupation: She has is Las Vegas, after all—a city where revelry art Allegiant Stadium opens to fans this worked as an actress in Hollywood for 30 and indulgence are almost obligatory, and season, there will be an added bonus for years, appearing in Under Siege 2 and sev- you’d better go big or go home. “I think if those lucky enough to own suites: a wine eral Garry Marshall movies, including The we’re up at halftime, people are going to program run by the stadium’s head som- Princess Diaries, Raising Helen, and Runaway be like, ‘Bring a bottle of Dom! Bring Cris- melier. Sandra Taylor took the position, a Bride. Then a trip to the Italian region of tal!’” Taylor says with a laugh. “I just want rarity in the NFL, at the onset of the 2020 Piedmont changed the course of her ca- to make it an extra-special experience for season, but since the pandemic prevented reer. “That’s where I had my aha moment, people coming to the stadium. I want to attendance last year, her work will really where I had my epiphany and decided it’s integrate wine into football.” pick up this fall as fans—fingers crossed— going to be wine,” Taylor says. “I absolutely fill the new venue to cheer on the Raiders. left my heart in Piemonte, and when I got For more on Taylor and her work in the Team owner Mark Davis “wants the home, I started studying at UCLA and wine industry, follow her on Instagram stadium to be one big party for every- then got certified through NASA [North @thebeverlyhillssommelier. one when it opens this season,” Taylor American Sommelier Association].” says. To that end, she will meet individu- As it turns out, acting and hospitality ally with all 150 Allegiant Stadium suite have a lot in common. Taylor’s decades of Given that the Raiders’ owners to curate a selection based on experience as an actress helped her tre- their preferences and interests. In addi- mendously during the service portion of training camp has been tion to featuring wines from official team her certification exam while informing her in Napa for the past 25 sponsor Robert Mondavi and Charles approach to interacting with people about Woodson’s Intercept, a label from the wine. “You have to perform [to] be a years, the idea of bringing namesake former Raiders player, Taylor will good storyteller,” she points out. “I feel like an in-house sommelier to then sort through the Southern Glazer’s that’s really my specialty. . . . Being a great Las Vegas to conduct VIP and Constellation portfolios and cull them storyteller is what sets me apart, and that down to a manageable list of choices for comes from me being an actress.” Her experiences seemed like a her clients. “I’m going to make sure each penchant for combining entertainment no-brainer. suite feels we’ve created this together for and education will come into play with their liking,” she says. “I want to pick their the interactive face-off tastings she plans brains and make each collection in the to host on the stadium’s club level, cover- suites their baby, so they feel like they’re in ing themes like Champagne vs. Prosecco their own living rooms.” and Old World vs. New World. (These Taylor’s relationship with the NFL start- will occur pregame, postgame, and ed long before she became certified as a at halftime to ensure that, as im- sommelier in November 2018: In the early pressive as the featured wines 1990s, she was the spokesmodel for NFL may be, football is still the Charities, selling 50/50 raffles at fundrais- focus.) “I’m trying to edu- ing tournaments held during Super Bowl cate but make it fun,” week to support the Wounded Warrior Taylor says. “Give them Project, youth sports-training facilities, and a little extra story former players in need of assistance. Along they can walk away the way she met and befriended Davis, with and go, ‘Wow!’ I with whom she now attends the Super want to [address] all Bowl every year; in fact, it was when they the questions I had were in Miami for Super Bowl LIV that at the beginning of my they discussed the possibility of offering a career, because chances somm service at Allegiant Stadium. Given are if I didn’t know these that the Raiders’ training camp has been things, other people don’t in Napa for the past 25 years, the idea know either.” of bringing an in-house sommelier to Las Besides curating the master

{ SOMMjournal.com } 63 { the wine observer }

One of the five medieval bastions in the city of Beaune serves as a Supreme cellar for Domaine Chanson.

Balance PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE CHANSON BURGUNDY’S 2019 VINTAGE IS NOT TO BE MISSED by Steven Spurrier

A Vintage of “High-Stakes Drama” “This is the first and, I expect, only time in The U.K. my career where I have had the pleasure is the biggest export market for estate- of tasting and buying a vintage that I was grown Burgundies, and in normal years, also present for during its entire produc- January is Burgundy Month in London. tion. From January until December, I lived The dozen or so specialist merchants [at the prestigious Comte Armand estate that host events during that time all visit in Pommard, experiencing] every bitter, the region the previous autumn to order frosty spring dawn and every sweltering PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHERINE PETRIE OF CATHERINE COURTESY PHOTO samples they collect right after Christmas, minute of high summer. ensuring they’re as fresh as possible for [So] I am intimately familiar with the the tastings. Often, as many as 100 wines throes of the growing season and its many are presented from dozens of domaines moments of high-stakes drama, [but] even across Burgundy, from Chablis down to the so I have been stopped in my tracks by Mâconnais, so the retailers and buyers for the calibre of the wines. . . . Between their restaurants (now all sadly closed certainly supreme balance and their graceful power, Catherine Petrie, MW, is until Easter) have a very wide choice. For they are far greater than the sum of their a buyer for London-based the observant wine writer, these tastings parts. That goes for both colours. I’ve been importer Lay & Wheeler. are the best of the year, and show the trying to think back to the last Burgundy remarkable quality of Burgundy today. vintage when both red and white were Not only were this year’s tastings genuine five-star quality: 2010 perhaps? canceled, but I am on lockdown in west But this vintage is tinged with disap- Dorset. So for a vintage report, I have pointment for many growers: Yields are turned to Catherine Petrie, MW, a buyer down by up to 30–50%. This is due to a for specialist importer Lay & Wheeler who combination of spring frost, cold weather has allowed me to quote her verbatim. at flowering, and the summer drought.”

64 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 trachet, which makes this a “must buy.” It’s one of the best expressions of Chardon- nay grown on clay and limestone soil— supple yet firm, rich, and long. Beaune Clos des Mouches Premier Cru Of its 4.5 hectares in what is perhaps Beaune’s best-known Premier Cru, Chan- son has planted 2 to Chardonnay on an

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOMAINE CHANSON OF DOMAINE COURTESY PHOTO upper slope facing Pommard to the south. Lots of structure here for the future.

RED Savigny-lès-Beaune La Dominode Domaine Chanson owns 43 hectares of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in the Beaune Premier Cru appellation. Formally owned by the Lord of Savigny, this vineyard, set on chalk-based soils on a northeast-facing midslope, pro- The Whites: Powerful Yet Graceful The wines rest in barrel in one of the five duces wines with high-toned aromas and “Charles Ballot of Domaine Ballot-Millot medieval bastions that defended the city great vibrancy. hit the nail on the head when he summed of Beaune, conceived under Louis XI and Pernand-Vergelesses Les Vergelesses up the 2019 whites in three words: completed under Francis I; the four-story Premier Cru Chanson owns 5.4 hectares ‘matière, densité, fraîcheur,’ [or] ‘substance, structure with 8-metre-thick walls is ex- in this appellation’s best vineyard, enough density, freshness.’ There is something ceptional at maintaining a constant level of to ensure a selection of only the best genuinely seductive about their power temperature and humidity. barrels for the final bottling of the Premier and volume, [which are] made irresistible The Bollinger family took ownership of Cru. A wine of controlled firmness, with thanks to their freshness.” Chanson in 1999, and marked improve- depth, length, and vigour yet elegance. ments in quality and recognition have Beaune Clos des Marconnets Premier The Reds: Ripe but Refined resulted from their investments over the Cru Firmness and refinement are the “The past decade has not been short of past two decades. In lieu of the London characteristics of this site located at the great red Burgundy vintages. Like 2015 and tasting, I was sent ten half-bottles: four northern end of the Beaune AOC. Open- 2018, 2019 is certainly borne of a warm, whites and six reds. Here are my notes. ing up at five years, the wines it yields are ripe year, but its bright freshness means better at ten or more. that the wines are not weighty or overly Beaune Les Grèves Premier Cru Perhaps rich. What really marks the vintage out as WHITE my preferred Premier Cru due to the top quality, however, is the character of the Savigny-Les-Beaune Hauts-Marcon- supple, seductive richness derived from its tannins: They are so graceful and elegant, nets Premier Cru White wines are sandy, gravelly soil. Opens early, but benefits ripe but refined, setting the wines apart very rare in Savigny, yet the marl, chalk, from seven to ten years in bottle. from the more muscular, structured 2018s and limestone soil on this elevated site Beaune Clos des Mouches Premier Cru and dense, rich 2015s. This, combined with encouraged the planting of 2.18 south- Ideally located on the Clos des Mouches the red-fruited freshness [contributed by] east–facing hectares close to the hills of hill looking south toward Pommard, where decent acidity, means that the style of the the Beaune Premier Crus. Both supple the proportion of clay in the limestone reds is what we might call ‘classical.’ That and fresh with the vintage’s depth of fruit, soil brings vigour, richness, and great depth is to say, the acidity is given equal billing this will show brilliantly; the 2012 in my of fruit. to alcohol and tannin, making for wines of cellar is at its peak. Beaune Clos des Fèves Premier Cru All perfect balance. This is a special vintage, Pernand-Vergelesses Les Caradeux 3.8 hectares of this walled-in monopole so purchases at the top end [and] an Premier Cru This vineyard of 1.9 are owned by Domaine Chanson in exploration of the successes of the lesser hectares is ideally located on a mid- the very heart of the Beaune Premier communes are equally advised.” slope close to the hill of Corton-Char- Crus. It is recognised that, were the lemagne; it shares with the renowned vineyards to be reclassified, Clos des Notes from the Author on Do- Grand Cru not only its soil structure Fèves would become a Grand Cru. maine Chanson’s 2019 Releases and elevation but also its pro- Total class. The wines from Domaine Chanson are nounced, long-lived mineral charac- The magic of Burgundy lies in probably my most preferred Burgun- teristics. Cellar for the medium to its fascinating vineyards. Chardon- dies—not the grandest by any means long term. nay and Pinot Noir are planted to but perhaps the most expressive of each Chassagne-Montrachet Les Che- express the site, not the varietal; appellation, all grouped around Beaune, nevottes Premier Cru Chanson’s nowhere else can this complex- where the estate owns 43 hectares of ex- 2 hectares here are located next ity of terroir be found. The 2019 clusively Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. door to the Grand Cru Le Mon- vintage conveys it to perfection.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 65 THE NEOCLASSICAL BORDEAUX STYLE OF NAPA’S PATEL WINERY Patel 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley ($60) A gathering of kiwi, lime, Elegance and pink grapefruit makes for some of the most stunning aromatics we’ve experienced from this variety. The brilliant clarity of sweet summer peach Exemplified is delectable. Mineral notes adhere to succulent floral and fruit tones. 94

BORN IN GUJARAT, INDIA, Raj Patel moved with his family to Northern Cali- Patel 2016 Malbec, Napa Valley fornia in 1972 and went on to study at the University of California, Davis, before ($125) An aromatically appealing interning at Robert Mondavi Winery. The clarity of Patel’s vision for producing beauty with notes of lilac and plum world-class Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was confirmed in 2007 with his first release, plus a hint of jasmine. The meaty body which gained him high scores from leading critics and generated his star power. and dried-floral tannins receive a dose “We believe that great wine is made in the vineyard,” says Patel. “Sourced of dark chocolate. Espresso ties up from the finest vineyards in Atlas Peak, Coombsville, and Napa Valley, every Patel the blue and black fruit in a desirable wine is passionately crafted to express the uniqueness of its terroir and exhibit bundle as blue flowers bloom in the a distinct personality.” glass. 95 Another UC Davis graduate, Julien Fayard, has also made a name for himself Patel 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, as one of Napa Valley’s preeminent Coombsville, Napa Valley ($150) PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATEL WINERY winemakers. With extensive experi- Plums slathered in dark chocolate, Raj Patel is ence in Provence and Bordeaux, he dried violets painted with anise seed, proprietor of came to Napa to serve as Philippe and coffee notes surround structured Patel Winery. Melka’s director of winemaking before tannins. Generously juicy, this gift for he began producing his own labels, the palate surges with floral tones and consulting, and joining Patel Winery an underlying minerality that points to as winemaker. Coombsville soil. 98

Bennett Vineyard in Coombsville is a primary source for Patel’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

66 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Beer(d) Science isn’t just an excuse for an ’80s movie pun: Each column covers a different style of beer and related terminology to help somms expand their beer knowledge.

The Jealousy of Bavarians

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOCK BEER STYLE, PART I by Jessie Birschbach

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, my refined. The golden beer is perhaps the mom never let me eat sugary cere- most balanced of the bock category; als—meaning I had to settle for certain though the worst examples are cloying, “healthy” versions like Grape-Nuts. I the best are creamy and soft yet crisp, ended up growing quite fond of the thanks to the moderate hop bitterness malty, toasty, pebble-like cereal, though, that is higher than that of the other and I’ll bet this is why I’m now enam- styles. But like them, Maibock balances ored with the similarly malty, bready to the malt side, with rich, toasty, flavor found in bock beers. bread-like flavors. It’s slightly elevated in Perhaps, too, it’s the spirit of my alcohol, but its weighty warmth is well PHOTO: ANDREY SHEVCHENKO VIA ADOBE VIA ADOBE STOCK ANDREY SHEVCHENKO PHOTO: German ancestors guiding my palate integrated thanks to the plushness of toward a style balanced to malt rather the malt, making it the perfect drinking than hops—or it’s the sommelier in experience on a chilly spring day. me that recognizes how well bocks complement spicy foods and desserts, MAIBOCK BY THE NUMBERS both of which are notoriously challeng- Main ingredients: Pils or Vienna ing to pair. I’m also drawn to the ample malt base with some Munich malt; range of substyles within the category, Noble hops (Saaz, Hallertau, Spalt, from the generally golden-colored and The Hofbräuhaus tavern in Munich. and Tettnang); lager yeast; soft creamy Maibock to the typically dark water preferred brown, concentrated Eisbock. the north’s superior beer or because ABV: 6.3–7.4% For all these reasons, bock is indeed its exportation had simply been slowed IBUs: 23–25 one of Birschbach’s favorite beer styles— by the start of the Thirty Years’ War, we SRM (i.e. Standard Reference so much so that I’m making it the focus can’t be sure. Method, a color standard for beers of my next two columns, which just so It’s also unclear whether the beer that typically ranges from 2 to 40 happen to fall within the time of year Pichler created was similar to the degrees, 2 being a pale straw color bock is associated with: spring! original Ainpock beer—or, as the Bavar- and 40 being black): 6–11 ians called it in their wonky dialect, ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOCKS “bock” beer. But we do know that he Part two of the bock series will appear I’ve seen differing versions of the bock brewed it according to lager tradition in the April/May issue of The SOMM style’s origin story in respected beer (using a lager yeast, maturing the beer Journal and include an overview of dop- resources, but the gist of it is this: In in cold storage, and so on) and called pelbocks, Eisbocks, and dark bocks. 1612, the Bavarian duke Maximilian I it “Maibock.” Meant to be consumed in hired Elias Pichler, a brewmaster from the spring (“Mai” means May), it was Einbeck—a town known at the time for the first real bock as we know the style Jessie Birschbach its signature Ainpöckisch bier (aka Ain- today, and the Bavarians went bananas is a Certified Cice- pock)—to come to Munich to recre- over it. rone and substandard ate the style at the royal brewery, the homebrewer. She’s also Hofbräuhaus. Some claim that Pichler MAIBOCK BREAKDOWN still learning, so if you was actually held captive for a few years A good Maibock (aka pale bock or have a suggestion or to make it. Whether the duke did so helles bock) should be robust but light, comment, contact her because he was driven by jealousy of powerful but finessed, and strong yet at jabs@sommjournal.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 67 { burgundy } Beyond the Jadot of a Doubt AT DOMAINE FERRET, POUILLY-FUISSÉ DEMONSTRATES MANY PERSONALITIES

THE FIRST DOMAINE IN Pouilly- Domaine Ferret 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Domaine Ferret 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Clos Fuissé to begin bottling on its Tournant de Pouilly ($76) Tournant des Prouges ($58) This Tête de Cru is own estate was Ferret, in the late de Pouilly lies in the northern part produced only in top vintages. The Clos is 1940s—not long after the cre- of the Fuissé region. Averaging 60 located in the heart of Fuissé on 5 acres of ation of the appellation itself in the years of age, its vines are planted limestone marl. Fermentation and aging be- Mâconnais of southern Burgundy on fossilized oyster shells and gin in barrels before the wine is finished sur in 1936. Originally founded in 1840 limestone-rich silt. Linear notes of lie in stainless-steel tanks over a five-month by the namesake family, it was lemon sorbet are lightly seasoned period. Lovely notes of oregano and basil purchased by famed French vintner with thyme and tarragon. Chamo- meld with tangerine and lime. Though fleshy Louis Jadot in 2008; today it over- mile carries through to a yellow- and round, it unspools a thread of scintillat- sees 42 vineyard acres. apple richness, while a sweetness ing minerality while its fine acid structure The wines are 100% Chardon- ensues with sugared Asian pear. 96 showcases its tenser side. 95 nay, and the portfolio is divided into three tiers: Classic, Têtes de Cru, and Cuvée Domaine Ferret 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Domaine Ferret 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe. Tête de Cru and Cuvée 2018 Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières Tête de Cru Les Perrières ($58) Hors-Classe are the precursors of a much- ($76) This wine comes from a 2-acre vine- Sourced from vines averaging 35 years deserved upgrade to a higher classification: yard that borders the village of Fuissé. The of age, this wine hails from a 2.5-acre site Premier Cru sites within Pouilly-Fuissé are vines range from ten to 40 years old, while above the Le Clos parcel on the domaine’s currently under consideration by INAO the soils go from shale on one end to property. Lime blossom and honeysuckle (Institut National de l’Origine et de la pearly slabs of granite on the other, with create a floral creaminess on the nose and Qualité). Some in the region think they limestone subsoils. With a richer style, it’s a palate. Stony undertones, ginger, and just- will be approved with the 2020 vintage. paradigm of lemon-verbena starkness and ripe pineapple converge with a powdery, —Meridith May vanilla-wafer luxuriance. Tart lime, yellow floral mouthfeel before orange chiffon apple, and chamomile flowers are lovely makes an exquisite appearance on the and lilting. 97 finish. 96 PHOTO: KURT ECKERT IMPORTED BY KOBRAND/ A view of the Domaine Ferret estate. OWNED BY MAISON LOUIS JADOT

68 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 { brand spotlight }

Less Is Más MUCHO MÁS SEEKS TO SIMPLIFY THE SUBJECT OF SPANISH WINE FOR THE U.S. MARKET by Rachel DelRocco Terrazas

MUCHO MÁS TRANSLATES simply full texture, it offers black-fruit aromas regions of Spain; working outside the stiff to “much more,” a phrase that could rounded out by flavors of vanilla bean. regulations of individual DOs allows the initially make you wonder what you Unlike its appellated counterparts, this Félix Solís team to choose the grapes with might be getting yourself into. But this wine sees only four months in second- the best qualities for their purposes. new line from Félix Solís Avantis is use American barrels; the result is just Not only is Mucho Más a match for worth approaching unreservedly, as a touch of oak, which balances the any domestic blend in terms of approach- the wines are more subtle and pre- earthy character of the grapes. ability, it’s also accessible from a packaging cise in flavor than you might expect The white expression, meanwhile, standpoint: The company has prioritized from the name—never mind the features Verdejo, a grape that’s not eco-friendly initiatives such as 3-liter bag- suggested retail price: $9. They often seen outside its native Spain in-boxes, in which the red blend retails make the case that Félix Solís is a but that deserves much more at- for a mere $18 (the white blend is not leader in creating a dynamic future tention for its apricot aromas and yet available in the U.S.). Not only does it for Spanish wines that are delicious green, grassy flavors. These qualities give consumers access to a quaffable and yet accessible. also make it a prime candidate for food-friendly wine laced with the nuances Take the user-friendly, straight- blending with Spanish-grown Sau- of Spain at an affordable price, the alterna- to-the-point label: It’s designed vignon Blanc; additionally, the wine tive packaging will make sharing a glass not to overwhelm consumers new to contains some Chardonnay that has seen with friends and family easier and more the category but rather to keep them three months of barrel aging, along with economical—once we can safely enjoy laser-focused on the wine in a way that significant bâtonnage, to soften the sharp their company again, that is. makes Spain feel familiar. In other words, fruit tones of the other varieties and add a its sleek simplicity conveys the essence creamy texture. With high tones of bright of the liquid inside. The red is a modern- peach and base notes of tropical fruits and style blend of Tempranillo sourced from vanilla, the blend is sourced from multiple northern Spain and the Toro DO with Garnacha from northern Spain and Syrah from Castilla–La Mancha. With a lush and

{ SOMMjournal.com } 69 { retail }

Playing the Hand They’re Dealt

70 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 Independent Doc’s Wine Shop, HAYWARD, CA For Darren Guillaume, CS, owner of Doc’s Wine Shop in Hayward, pricing has Retailers in been the biggest setback. “It has been difficult since distributors dumped large volumes of wine $5 below max discount, allowing [chain stores] to sell products California’s for . . . well below retail,” he said, “making consumers think that mom-and-pop retailers are always overpriced. My hopes are that small retail shops get the same Bay Area pricing as big-box stores, [but] my prediction is that [even if] the [Biden] admin- istration removes the 25% tariff placed on Old World wines, the cost savings will Prove That not return to previous levels.” Resilience Isn’t Optional “Education, service, by Nell and quality selections Jerome

PHOTO COURTESY OF DARREN GUILLAUME OF DARREN COURTESY PHOTO properly ♠♣♥♦ stored should be the reason ob McMillan, executive vice president and [to] shop at founder of Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine privately Division and author of its annual “State of the Wine Industry owned wine RReport,” predicted in February 2020 shops.” that oversupply in the wine market, Darren Guillaume, CS, owns Doc’s Wine Shop combined with a decrease in U.S. in Hayward, CA. consumption, would result in the “best wine retail values in 20 years.” This came neither as a surprise nor In addition to the pricing challenges posed by the competition, the North Bay good news for an industry that was wine shop was impacted by California’s strict shutdown guidelines. Even when already facing wildfires, tariffs, and allowed to open, it could admit no more than two customers at a time, despite other headwinds. a “building code that normally allows up to 45 people,” according to Guillaume. But things were about to get much Traffic also decreased due to the closure of area restaurants, causing Doc’s to worse. In March, on-premise busi- shorten its business hours; Guillaume estimated that, as of December 2020, it nesses across the country were shut had dropped by 60%. The store was further hurt by the lack of purchases for down as a result of the pandemic. As holiday parties, which usually make up 40% of its seasonal sales. What’s more, restaurants and small wineries faced while many retailers and wineries have benefited from the pandemic-inspired devastating closures, large retail- increase in online sales, Doc’s does not have a license for shipping. ers and suppliers benefited from a It did, however, offer after-hours local delivery for case sales to ease purchases change in consumer behavior created for its customers—who also find it easier to learn about wine at Doc’s, thanks to by the stay-at-home orders. Indepen- Guillaume’s certification through the famous French Culinary Institute. Guillaume dent wine shops, for their part, faced takes pride in always offering excellent assistance and advice, which he sees as their own set of both challenges a key advantage of independent wine shops. “Education, service, and quality and opportunities. We interviewed selections properly stored should be the reason [to] shop at privately owned proprietors from some of the most wine shops,” he added. “We can’t carry everything, but what can be provided in popular boutique retailers in Califor- knowledge and service cannot ever be priced.” nia’s Bay Area to get their perspec- For more on Doc’s Wine Shop, visit docswineshop.com. tive on the past year and their hopes for the future.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 71 Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, ST. HELENA, CA

When the Napa Valley location of this New Jer- sey–based store celebrated its official grand opening in December 2019, no one could have predicted the turn of events to come just three months later. Located in a St. Helena space previously occupied by Dean & DeLuca, Gary’s was a welcome fixture to wine country’s busy Highway 29, presenting a diverse selection of almost 400 Napa labels as well as imports, beer, spirits, gourmet foods, and an in-store deli that is a telltale sign of owner Gary Fisch’s East Coast roots. But then the pandemic hit. As Fisch recalled, “2020 started off as a great year for us, and then in March, California was the first state to implement shelter-in-place orders. We had to close for walk-in business, but we were able to prepare takeout meals and continue online sales for grocer- ies, wine, and spirits. When the restaurants closed, we knew that [people] were eating and drinking at home more and we wanted to make it easy for them, [so] we began promoting daily takeout specials on social media, offering wine specials, and hosting virtual tastings with local vintners.” In short, Fisch added, “We made the best of the situation and did what we could for our customers.” With social distancing guidelines in place, Gary’s was finally able to reopen at the end of May while continuing curbside pickup and local delivery services through its mobile app. But things took another cruel turn in late September when wildfires blew through the north end of Napa Valley, forcing area evacu- ations. Again the staff had to pivot. To serve first responders and the community, Gary’s stayed open on a limited basis—until, a week before Christmas, California imposed another shutdown on the county. But if “2020 was a year we’d all probably like to forget,” Fisch pointed out, “it reminded us how food, wine, and community can bring us together. I am confident we’ll get through this and am optimistic about the future.” Gary Fisch is the founder of Gary’s Wine & For more on Gary’s, visit garyswine.com. Marketplace, which has locations in both

New Jersey and California. PHOTO:RUBIN ALEXANDER

72 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIAH BALDIVINO

Golden Gate Wine Cellars, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Major cities were arguably hit hardest by the shutdowns due to their dense populations and the sheer number of businesses affected. Golden Gate Wine Cellars, which is in San Francisco’s Balboa Terrace neighborhood near San Francisco State University, felt the effects im- Josiah Baldivino, owner of Oakland, CA’s Bay mediately and needed to react. “Between March and June, sales were Grape, with his family. way down as I was figuring out how to transform my business,” noted Frank Melis, who founded the shop in 2005. “Foot traffic went to zero. My wine club sales dropped 60%—I experienced a similar drop during the 2008 recession. Most people who subscribe to my wine clubs Bay Grape, OAKLAND, CA don’t have extra disposable income and canceled their memberships.” But Melis presevered, continually coming up with new ways to sur- Josiah Baldivino, owner of Bay Grape in Oakland, credits vive and to help his customers. the fact that he did good business during a challenging “By midsummer, I did [manage] year to the overwhelming support he received from the to restrategize operations— neighborhood as well as to the creativity of his “very curbside pickups, local deliver- small but mighty staff.” Combined with hearty holiday ies, virtual tastings, et cetera,” sales, these factors ensured that the shop remained he explained. “I [also] created profitable in 2020. a ‘stash’ system for my clients. Though he had to make adjustments, including They might not want to order reducing employee hours by 30% and canceling weekly a full case at one time, so we in-store classes, he never lost sight of the significance keep the wine they purchase of personal attention to the success of a small business. and ship it once they have a full “We are still able to offer one-on-one sommelier-level PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GATE WINE CELLARS WINE CELLARS OF GOLDEN GATE COURTESY PHOTO case, offering free shipping.” assistance with all guests,” he asserted. “As owners, we Meanwhile, Melis went above have realized that it is important to spend the time to Frank Melis opened Golden Gate Wine and beyond to help his employ- educate your staff. We do this by opening a blind bottle Cellars in San Francisco in 2005. ees too. “My hours changed every shift and then talking about not only how the dramatically; since we were not wine smells and tastes but also where it is from, who is allowed to have foot traffic [or] the producer, and what makes the wine so special. It is conduct weekly wine tastings, we closed daily at 3 p.m. and closed also nice to just chill and catch up.” completely on Saturdays,” he said. “I laid off some staff members but While industry-news headlines herald the increase in paid everyone out of my own pocket.” business for value-brand sales and large retailers, then, Many expected things to improve before the all-important holiday small establishments like Bay Grape are seeing con- season, but the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place mandate continued. “As sumers experimenting with new varietals and luxury corporate parties were canceled, so was gift giving,” Melis said. “I have wines, proving their services invaluable. “We probably clients that usually purchase 50–150 single bottles of wine as gifts, sold more orange wine this year than Target sold hard and they did not buy any.” But Melis’ ability to adapt paid off, as did his seltzer,” joked Baldivino. An increase in online sales and loyalty to California wineries. “The holidays were very good, all things holiday gift purchases helped make up for lost profits considered,” he said. “We did see a larger amount of gift cards that during the shutdowns. The store offered additional were ordered via our website. Since we only stock California wines, incentives to consumers, such as hand-curated gift packs, I did not want to panic and revise my inventory . . . [and] by staying to further increase revenue. “[Customers] basically told the course, I saw and felt the support of my out-of-state and out-of- us what they were and were not into and then we country clients. [I] saw a robust rebound in the third quarter and an chose wine for them accordingly,” Baldivino explained. “It even better fourth quarter, almost equaling total sales of 2019, which was our way of offering what we do best to guests not was a big surprise.” able to make it to the shop.” As for 2021, said Melis, “My hope is that we get this virus under con- Reflecting on the year behind us, Baldivino noted that trol and get everyone vaccinated so we can try to reach pre-COVID continued support for small businesses, in terms of both normalcy. I hope not too many businesses disappear, as they are the patronage and positive feedback on social media, would heart of the U.S. economy. It hurts me to see many boarded-up shops. I help them stay motivated and get through these chal- try to live ‘glass half full,’ but the 2020 fires will not help, as many winer- lenging times. But he also offered a piece of advice to his ies will have way less or no wine at all to offer, so I am [only] cautiously colleagues in the trade: “Realize how lucky you are and optimistic. [Still,] I am lucky to have made a living out of my hobby, and how many people would love to trade spots with you. I hope to continue for many more years to come. I am very humbled If you are reading this magazine, your life is a lot better and appreciative of everyone’s kindness and support.” than most. Smile. Life is not perfect, but it is good.” For more on Golden Gate Wine Cellars, visit ggwc.com. For more on Bay Grape, visit baygrapewine.com.

{ SOMMjournal.com } 73 20 21 VIRTUAL SUMMIT MARCH 12-14, 2021

Save the date for SommCon’s Spring Virtual Summit this March featuring exciting new classes and educators, critical topics related to the business of wine, networking and career building opportunities, and more. Our full schedule and list of speakers can be found on our website below!

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Get prepped for your career and attend the Spring Virtual Summit to:

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Laugh and learn with SommCon Trivial Pursuit and Game Nights

Sponsored By: GET YOUR PASS TODAY! Passes are offered at $115 each with a bonus three month free subscription SommGo. REGISTER NOW www.sommconusa.com ECRM_TastingPanel-Spread-2021-AD1.pdf 1 2/11/2021 4:02:16 PM

Connect with the Right People at the Rigtht Time

“ECRM is a great way for emerging suppliers to grow their business, and I would recommend to any supplier looking to get

C M into retail and foodservice. ECRM sets you up for success!" Y

MY - Leah Caplanis, SOCIAL Sparkling Wine CY

CMY

Held Virtually Held Virtually Our Adult Beverage Week features two virtual sessions in the On & Oﬀ Premises sectors with pre-scheduled appointments, Round Table Discussions, Pre-session sample Oﬀ-Premises Adult On-Premises Adult set up and personal assistance from an ECRM Client Beverage Program, Beverage Program, Success Manager. August 23-25, 2021 August 24-26, 2021

Interested in learning more? Contact our SVP Food & Beverage, Sarah Davidson for more information at 440-542-3033 or [email protected]. Meetings held on ECRM Connect™. ECRM_TastingPanel-Spread-2021-AD1.pdf 1 2/11/2021 4:02:16 PM

Connect with the Right People at the Rigtht Time

“ECRM is a great way for emerging suppliers to grow their business, and I would recommend to any supplier looking to get

C M into retail and foodservice. ECRM sets you up for success!" Y

MY - Leah Caplanis, SOCIAL Sparkling Wine CY

CMY

Interested in learning more? Contact our SVP Food & Beverage, Sarah Davidson for more information at 440-542-3033 or [email protected]. Meetings held on ECRM Connect™. An Uphill Battle NEW YORK’S WINE RETAILERS FACE CHALLENGES ON MULTIPLE BUSINESS FRONTS by Cheron Cowan

NEW YORK’S WINE SHOPS are fighting ers—is extreme: “No other industry an uphill battle, as navigating shipping laws, has that.” tariffs, and both local and state regulations Adding to the turmoil is the fact has become increasingly difficult—and that the 25% wine tariffs imposed

consumer choice may become a casualty. JEANNA SUNG PHOTO: in 2019 have yet to fully impact the First and foremost, by law, every wine consumer, as wholesaler inventory store in New York state must be a non- that’s been sitting in warehouses franchise entity, meaning one person is incrementally being replaced cannot own multiple venues; as such, they with higher-priced tariffed product. are small businesses for which adhering to According to Ben Aneff, managing interstate shipping laws is a time-consum- partner at Tribeca Wine Merchants ing endeavor. For instance, only 16 states and president of the US Wine Trade allow wines from out-of-state retailers Alliance (USWTA), “These tariffs to be purchased by and shipped to their are in a state of limbo until the next respective residents—and the amount of U.S. Trade Representative, Katherine wine they allow per shipment varies. Tai, is confirmed by Congress.” That Jeremy Block, owner of Some Good Christy Frank is partner at Copake Wine Works in means he, too, is in limbo: “For 20 Wine in New York City’s Greenwich Copake, NY. years, [Tribeca Wine Merchants] has Village, finds the “ambiguity in [interstate] focused on small producers from laws frustrating,” adding that he’s incurred the EU. [We] rely on great import- fines due to confusion regarding the regu- ers and distributors. Can they [still] lations. What’s more, argues Tom Wark, afford to bring these people in? Some executive director of the National As- great, small producers can be lost to sociation of Wine Retailers (NAWR), the other markets: What if we lose the necessity of shipping exclusively via FedEx opportunity to work with the next and UPS “is a burden for consumers [as] it Kermit Lynch?” hinders availability. . . . Wine is being sold by Meanwhile, according to Frank, the smaller and smaller companies. We need advent of COVID-19 is making the the flexibility.” potential effects of an imminent price The difficulty of complying with local increase even more concerning by and state laws makes resources like the driving affluent clientele from the city NAWR and Sazerac Company CEO upstate, where they are able to pur- Mark Brown’s influential “Industry News chase esoteric and/or highly allocated Update” invaluable to the average New Jeremy Block (left), owner of Some Good wines at more moderate price points York beverage retailer, says Christy Frank Wine in New York, NY, with mayoral candidate from retailers like hers. What happens of upstate outfit Copake Wine Works. Andrew Yang. when those customers return home She notes that an email she once received to even higher prices than before? from the New York State Liquor Authority says that the state’s lack of communication Unfortunately, at the end of the day, in regard to a plastic-bag ban was one of makes the level of oversight it has over these challenges will be passed down to all the few direct communications she’s ever businesses like his all the more frustrating. consumers, who are at risk of losing access received from an official source. As for For instance, he believes that its “mandat- to emerging producers. And what is most Block, who likewise often learns of regula- ing of mutual contract”—which sets strict frustrating is that they won’t even know tion changes from his industry peers, he terms on retailers’ payments to wholesal- what they’re missing.

78 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } MARCH/APRIL 2021 The Man Behind the Brands

123spirits.com

THE SOMM JOURNAL MARCH/APRIL 2021